Some gifts are chosen for their color, while others are chosen for where they come from. A medal of the Virgin from her homeland is one of the latter: it tells the recipient, “I know where you come from.” In this guide, we’ll tell you which Virgin to choose as a gift depending on where that person is from, when her feast day falls, and what to do if her patron saint isn’t yet among our medals.
You’ll find them all in gifts from your homeland.
Why give a medal of the Virgin from her homeland
- For someone living far away. A daughter studying abroad, a brother working in another country, a friend who moved for love. The patron saint of the home takes up little room in a suitcase but offers a great deal of comfort.
- For a grandmother. Many grandmothers have spent their lives praying to the same Virgin. Giving her a medal of that Virgin is a way of honoring that history, and over the years, it will become a piece to be passed down to a granddaughter. Find more ideas in gifts for mothers and grandmothers.
- For someone getting married in their hometown. Anyone returning to their hometown to marry in the local church will often want to carry their patron saint with them that day. It’s a perfect gift from a godmother or a friend. See also wedding gifts.
- For someone named after her. A Pilar, Rocío, Carmen, or Amparo will naturally have her own medal. You can find it in medals by name.
At a glance: her homeland, her Virgin, and where to find her
| Her homeland | Her Virgin and her feast day | At Khartes |
|---|---|---|
| Zaragoza and Aragón | Virgin of El Pilar, la Pilarica (October 12) | El Pilar medals |
| Asturias | Virgin of Covadonga, la Santina (September 8) | Covadonga medals |
| Valencia and the Valencian Community | Virgin of the Forsaken, la Geperudeta (second Sunday in May) | Forsaken medals |
| Almonte (Huelva) | Virgin of El Rocío, la Blanca Paloma (Pentecost) | El Rocío medals |
| Seaside towns | Virgin of El Carmen (July 16) | El Carmen medals |
| All of Spain | Immaculate Conception (December 8) | Immaculate Conception medals |
La Pilarica: Zaragoza and Aragón
The Virgin of El Pilar is the patron saint of Zaragoza and Aragón, and her feast day is October 12. According to tradition, she appeared to the apostle James on the banks of the Ebro River atop a column: the pillar that gives the basilica its name. On that day, thousands of people dressed in regional costume bring flowers to her in the Ofrenda.
She is the perfect gift for an Aragonese woman living abroad and for anyone named Pilar. View Virgin of El Pilar medals or read her history.
La Santina: Asturias
The Virgin of Covadonga is the patron saint of the Principality of Asturias. She is venerated in the Holy Cave in Cangas de Onís, and the Asturians call her la Santina. Her feast day, September 8, is also Asturias Day.
For an Asturian far from home, few things speak so clearly of their homeland. View Virgin of Covadonga medals or read the history of la Santina.
La Geperudeta: Valencia
The Virgin of the Forsaken is the patron saint of the city of Valencia and the Valencian Community. The image leans slightly forward, which is where the affectionate name Geperudeta, “little hunchback,” comes from. Her feast day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
Our Forsaken medals feature colored enamels. View Virgin of the Forsaken medals or read why she is called Geperudeta.
La Blanca Paloma: Almonte and the pilgrims
The Virgin of El Rocío is the patron saint of Almonte, in Huelva. Her shrine is in the village of El Rocío, and her pilgrimage is celebrated around Pentecost, so the date changes every year. They call her la Blanca Paloma and the Queen of the Marismas.
She is the perfect gift for a pilgrim, wherever she may have been born, and for anyone named Rocío. View Virgin of El Rocío medals or read the history of her pilgrimage.
The Virgin of El Carmen: the people of the sea
The Virgin of El Carmen is the patron saint of the people of the sea and the Spanish Navy. Her feast day is July 16, and on that day, many coastal towns take her out in a procession by water. If her homeland is a port on any coast, this is her medal.
You can also give it in the form of a scapular. View Virgin of El Carmen medals or read her history and that of the scapular.
The Immaculate Conception: patron saint of all Spain
The Immaculate Conception has been the patron saint of Spain since 1760, by a bull issued by Pope Clement XIII. Her feast day is December 8. She is the right choice when the family comes from several places, when you are not familiar with their devotions, or when you want a classic.
View Immaculate Conception medals or read her history.
“My Virgin isn’t here”: what to choose in the meantime
We’ll be honest with you: we are two sisters, each medal is our own design and is handmade in Spain, so the collection grows little by little. Today, for example, we do not have Almudena, Montserrat, or Candelaria. And one clarification: the Virgin of Guadalupe that appears on our Saint Jude Thaddeus medals is the one from Mexico, not the one from Extremadura.
If her patron saint isn’t yet available, here are three good options:
- The Virgin of her name. If her name is Carmen, Pilar, Rocío, Inmaculada, or Amparo, start with medals by name.
- The Immaculate Conception. As the patron saint of Spain, she is for everyone, wherever they come from.
- La Milagrosa. She does not belong to any particular place and is one of the most widely distributed medals of the Virgin. View La Milagrosa medals.
Facts you can check
- Zaragoza proclaimed the Virgin of El Pilar its patron saint in 1642, and the Cortes of Aragón extended the patronage to the entire kingdom in 1678. The Ofrenda de Flores on October 12 has been celebrated since 1958. Source
- The feast day of the Virgin of Covadonga, September 8, coincides with Asturias Day. The image was canonically crowned in 1918. Source
- Pope Leo XIII declared the Virgin of the Forsaken the patron saint of the city of Valencia in 1885. She was canonically crowned on May 12, 1923. Source
- A municipal document from Almonte in 1653 already calls the Virgin of El Rocío the “refuge and remedy of this town.” She was canonically crowned on June 8, 1919. Source
- The Virgin of El Carmen is the patron saint of the Spanish Navy by a Royal Order of April 19, 1901. Source
- Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854, with the bull Ineffabilis Deus. Source
How the gift arrives
Our medals are our own designs and are handmade in Spain, with pearls, natural stones, and enamels. They come with their chain included and are wrapped as a gift at no extra cost. They ship within 24–72 hours, with free shipping from €65 to the mainland and the Balearic Islands.
If you prefer a more complete gift, gift packs include medals of El Pilar, El Carmen, and El Rocío with a necklace, chain, or bracelet, at a 10% discount off the separate price. And if you are still unsure, return to gifts from your homeland.
Marian and Bárbara