Montserrat is the
site of an 11th-century Benedictine monastery, considered the holiest
spot in Catalonia and a symbol of Catalan resistance to Spain.
La Moreneta
("Dark Maiden"), or Black Madonna, is the core of Montserrat's
holy symbolism. According to legend it was carved by St. Luke and
brought to Montserrat by St. Peter in 50 AD, then hidden from the
moors in the Santa Cova (holy cave) just down the mountain from
the monastery. In fact it was probably carved in the 12th century.
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