The first entry of the month of May we want it to be dedicated to the Virgin, because this is her month according to our tradition. The Virgin of Antigua is an invocation of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin is usually depicted standing with the baby Jesus in her arms offering a white rose. This image is in the Cathedral of Seville. Probably it is a Castilian-Leonese invocation of the Middle Ages.
This dedication, holder of our School, is doubly present in the church of the school of Our Lady of the Ancient of Monforte de Lemos. This is due to the fact that Cardinal Rodrigo de Castro Osorio, archbishop of Seville, was a devotee of this Virgin, founded this school which he placed under this invocation and ordered to bring to him a copy of the Virgin of Antigua of Seville, which He had in his oratory for his particular devotion. The painting is from the 16th century. Francisco de Moure made a sculpture of this Virgin that is in the center of the main altarpiece.
The virgin is usually represented with a white robe, as well as a cloak that covers her head and shoulders. The fabric of the tunic and mantle are white and decorated with golden vegetable motifs. On the underside of the mantle is dark and golden stripes. The neck of the Virgin’s tunic is curvilinear. With one hand he holds a white rose and with the other he holds the Baby Jesus. The boy has a dark tunic with golden vegetable details. The Virgin holds the child above the hip, next to his chest. The Child’s tunic has a neck with a slightly pointed toe. Both the Virgin and the Child appear with aura. In the upper part there are two angels holding a crown on the head of the Virgin. The baby Jesus has no crown.
Let us ask Our Lady of Antigua, in this month of May, to protect our school and bless the students, their families as well as the teachers and employees of their school.