Our Lady of Macarena

            No one knows for sure the origin of the venerated image of Our Lady of Hope Macaren. Some say it is the work of the 17th-century sculptor La Roldana; others insist it is the work of angels. The image is a dressed mannequin with a face and hands sculptured.

            Since the 17th century, La Macarena has held the place of honor in the magnificent Holy Week processions that have made Seville famous. During the seven days before Easter, the main streets of Seville close to the normal traffic and street din. The mundane world seems to stop, and all eyes turn to the scenes of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the suffering of His Holy Mother.

            During the Spanish Civil War, she was protected form desecration and vandalism by putting her in a coffin-like case and buried; these series of protection was done by the well known  Hermandad de la Macarena of Seville, which giving the image a very delicate and good care.

            One notices a bruise on the right cheek of the lifelike image. This was not painted by any artist. During one of the Holy Week processions, a drunkard in the crowd shouted insults at Our Lady and finally threw a glass bottle at her, hitting her cheek. It left the bruise that is still visible today. Many artists have tried to repair the damage to the cheek but each time, as soon as the restoration was completed, the bruise would return as if newly made.