Our Lady of Regla

{{Short description|Marian apparition}} {{Infobox Catholic apparition|name=Our Lady of Regla|feast_day=September 8|patronage=[[Chipiona]], Spain<br />[[Regla]] (Havana), Cuba|type=[[Marian apparition]]|image=VIRGEN DE REGLA, PATRONA DE CHIPIONA.jpg|caption=Original statue of Our Lady of Regla in [[Chipiona]]|location=[[Chipiona]], [[Province of Cádiz]], [[Andalusia]], [[Spain]]|date=13th-century|approval=[[Pope Pius XII]] — [[Canonical coronation]] (1954)|attributes=Patron of sailors|full_name=Nuestra Señora de Regla}}

'''Our Lady of Regla''', otherwise known as '''Our Lady of the Rule''' and '''The Virgin of Regla''', is a [[Marian apparition]] of the [[Catholic Church]] venerated in various Hispanic countries such as: [[Cuba]], the [[Dominican Republic]], and [[Spain]]. In contrast to other Marian apparitions, she is typically depicted with dark skin.

== History == According to Catholic legend, [[St. Augustine of Hippo]], who lived in North Africa, had a revelation from an angel, who ordered him to carve an image of the [[Virgin mary|Virgin Mary]]. The image was taken to Spain by his disciple Saint [[Cyprian]], who ended up in [[Chipiona]], where the Virgin of Regla is venerated. The image was hidden underground next to a fig tree following an invasion of [[Andalusia]] by the [[Saracen]]s, and five centuries later in the 13th century, an apparition pointed in the direction of where the image was hidden.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virgin de Regla |url=https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/v/virgin-de-regla.php |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=[[University of Dayton]]}}</ref> Her feast day, September 8, coincides with the [[Nativity of Mary]], and after events of weathering and a fierce storm on the bordering [[Strait of Gibraltar]], she became a patroness of [[Sailor|seamen]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Our Lady of Regla (Nuestra Señora de la Regla) |url=https://www.interfaithmary.net/black-madonna-index/chipiona |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Interfaith Mary Page |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Veneration ==

=== Spain === In Spain, an image of the Virgin of Regla is located in the town of [[Chipiona]], [[Andalusia]]. It is a wooden sculpture about 0.62 meters high in the [[Romanesque art|Romanesque]] style, a typical trait of the [[Black Madonna]].<ref name=":0" />

In other parts of Andalusia, the devotion to Our Lady of Regla is present, such as a church dedicated to her in the city of [[Huécija]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mier |first=Saskia |date=2012-07-25 |title=Huécija |url=https://www.andalucia.com/province/almeria/huecija/home.htm |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Andalucia.com |language=en}}</ref> and in a brotherhood in the city of [[Seville]] as a patron of bakers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-29 |title=Besamanos the Virgen de Regla. Brotherhood of Bakers – Holy Week in Seville |url=https://www.semana-santa.org/en/besamanos-a-la-virgen-de-regla-hermandad-de-los-panaderos/ |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Semana Santa |language=en}}</ref> In the [[Canary Islands]], there are various [[Hermitage (religious retreat)|hermitages]] dedicated to her.

=== Cuba === [[File:Virgin de Regla Cuba 001.jpg|thumb|Statue of Our Lady of Regla in [[Havana]]]] In Cuba, in the [[Regla]] municipality of [[Havana]], a hermitage was built in 1687 by a pilgrim named Manuel Antonio dedicated to the Virgin, although it was later destroyed by a [[List of Atlantic hurricanes in the 17th century#1675–1699|1692 hurricane]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/cuba/havana/regla-guanabacoa/attractions/iglesia-de-nuestra-senora-de-regla/a/poi-sig/370217/1304633 |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=[[Lonely Planet]] |language=en}}</ref> In 1694, the location was rebuilt upon, where an image of the Virgin of Regla was enthroned and donated by Pedro de Aranda.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-03-16 |title=La Virgen de Regla ya tiene corona |url=https://libreonline.com/la-virgen-de-regla-ya-tiene-corona/ |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Libre Online |language=es}}</ref> Since its donation, Our Lady of Regla has become a much-devoted object, and was declared [[patron saint]] of Regla on December 23, 1714.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2016-08-25 |title=La Virgen de Regla |url=https://www.cuballama.com/blog/la-virgen-de-regla/ |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Cuballama |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== In Santería ====

In the syncretic [[Afro-Cubans|Afro-Cuban]] religion of [[Yoruba religion|Yorùbá]] (originally known as [[Santería]]) the Virgin is associated with [[Yemaya|Yemayá]], the Yoruba ''[[orisha]]'' of the sea.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Donestevez |first=Damian |date=2020-09-07 |title=The Virgin Regla: Patron Saint of the Town of Regla |url=https://www.radiohc.cu/en/noticias/cultura/233382-the-virgin-regla-patron-saint-of-the-town-of-regla |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=[[Radio Havana Cuba]] |language=en}}</ref>

=== Philippines ===

[[File:Virgen de Regla de Opon, Isla de Mactan, Cebu, FIlipinas.jpg|thumb|The image of Our Lady of the Rule of Opon enshrined in [[Lapu-Lapu City]]. It is the first Marian image in Cebu to be crowned.]]

Since 1735, the Catholic population of [[Lapu-Lapu City]] has had significant devotion to Our Lady of Regla.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-09-04 |title=Celebrate the Virgin of Regla! |url=https://www.newyorklatinculture.com/virgin-of-regla/ |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=New York Latin Culture Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> The image was initially taken to the former town by [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] missionary Francisco Aballe (1694–1759).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Opon Church {{!}} Southeast Asia Digital Library |url=https://sea.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/SEAImages:SCLPH015 |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=sea.lib.niu.edu |language=en}}</ref> After the [[WwII|Second World War]], a new church was built under the patronage of Our Lady of Regla, with a new image made of [[polychrome wood|polychrome]] [[hardwood]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nuestra Señora de Regla |url=https://virgensantamaria.org/nuestra-senora-de-regla/ |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Virgen Santa Maria |language=es}}</ref>

== Legacy == There are various churches and hermitages dedicated to her, such as:

* {{Ill|Sanctuary of Our Lady of Regla|es|Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Regla de Chipiona}} ([[Chipiona]], [[Spain]]) * {{Ill|Hermitage of Our Lady of Regla (Pájara)|lt=Hermitage of Our Lady of Regla|es|Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Regla (Pájara)}} ([[Pájara]], [[Canary Islands]]) * {{Ill|Hermitage of Our Lady of Regla (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)|lt=Hermitage of Our Lady of Regla|es|Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Regla (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)}} ([[Santa Cruz de Tenerife]], Canary Islands) * [[León Cathedral|Saint Mary of Regla de León Cathedral]] ([[León, Spain|León]], Spain) * [[Cathedral of Chihuahua|Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Our Lady of Regla, and St Francis of Assisi]] ([[Chihuahua City]], [[Mexico]]) * [[Cathedral of Our Lady of Regla (Baní)|Cathedral of Our Lady of Regla]], [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Baní|Diocese of Baní]], [[Santo Domingo]] * [[Our Lady of Regla Orthodox Church]] ([[Miami]], [[Florida]])

== References == <references />

[[Category:Marian apparitions]] [[Category:Catholicism in Spain]] [[Category:13th-century Catholicism]] [[Category:Religion in Cuba]] [[Category:Religion in the Philippines]] [[Category:Santería]]