In the middle of the main chapel, on a modern column, is the image of Santa María de Ujué, patron saint and centre of worship of the sanctuary. We have already seen this in the tympanum of the south façade. Now it is contemplated in the oldest version preserved. Once again we are witnessing the dialogue between Romanesque and Gothic. This carving, highly venerated in Navarre, is the centre and reference of the pilgrimages to the Sanctuary, and, from the History of Art perspective, one of the most representative round-shaped images of the Navarrese Romanesque.
Mary, seated on her throne, holds Jesus on her knees. Both state at the observer, with a certain hieratic attitude. It is a frontal and symmetrical composition. Iconographically, it responds to the type of Sedes sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom), always very idealised and rather unnaturalistic. The image, 91 cm. high, is coated with silver border plates, with medallions and Gothic jewels attached to the sides of the throne. As an attribute, it shows in her hand a fleur-de-lis added during the unfortunate restoration carried out in 1952. The sculpture is of great quality, with the traditional characteristics of the purest Romanesque sculpture. Specialists consider this to be a derivation of those of the Pamplona cathedral and the Irache Monastery and place it in the second half of the twelfth century. The beautiful serenity of Mary’s face, with her large almond-shaped eyes, has always stood out as the undisputed protagonist of worship and liturgy.
Let us stay for a while admiring this beautiful image. If we are believers… let us pray. If we are not believers … let’s simply contemplate its beauty.
Then press the number 5.