The Virgin of the Way, a unique devotion in Pamplona

The devotion to the Virgen del Camino is one of the great Marian devotions in Pamplona. Throughout history, she has been visited and honored with jewels and mantles by countless queens, vicereines, bishops, and members of Pamplona’s social elite. As a result, in 1987, the Archbishop of Pamplona, José María Cirarda Lachiondo, bestowed upon the Virgin the “ degree scroll ” title of “Queen and Lady of Pamplona.”

The devotion to the Virgin of the Way has been nourished since ancient times by her own legend, forged over the centuries, passed down from parents to children, and recorded in writing by various authors, such as Juan Joaquín Berdún in 1693. This author wrote the best-known and most widely circulated account. The image of the Virgen del Camino was the patron saint of a chapel ( Shrine of Our Lady of Fair Love ) located beside a road in the municipality of Alfaro (La Rioja). It miraculously appeared in 1487 on the beam at the top of the main chapel of the parish church of San Saturnino in Pamplona. After Pamplona claimed the image, the people of Alfaro took the matter to court; following the court’s verdict, the image was returned to its chapel in Alfaro. However, the image reappeared in Pamplona, at which point the people of Alfaro withdrew all claims. In 1726, Juan de Villafañe summarized the legend, adding that on the day of her apparition, the Virgin carried with her a small silver cross—now preserved in the parish church—which, until a few decades ago, was taken to the sick. He also included the story of the two crowns given as a gift by a returning emigrant; after the ship on which they were traveling was shipwrecked, the crowns reached the Cantabrian coast unharmed.

Be that as it may, devotion to the small statue of the Virgen del Camino—a Romanesque image approximately 42 centimeters tall and dating from the second half of the 12th century—experienced a spectacular surge in popularity between the 17th and 20th centuries. During those centuries, devotion to the image reached notable milestones, such as in 1653, when a silver pedestal was made for it; in 1675, when— plenary session of the Executive Council , amid a surge of devotion to the Immaculate Conception—a average silver crescent was placed on it; in 1720–1721, when the statue was covered in silver except for the face and hands; 1738, when she received the visit from Queen Mariana of Neuburg; 1776, when her chapel was inaugurated amid much-celebrated festivities; 1848, when the Virgin’s face and hands were retouched and a silver Infant Jesus was made for her; or 1887, when the fourth centenary of the apparition was celebrated with all the pomp and splendor of the era.