The Virgin of Meritxell is an iconic symbol of Andorra's history. She has been the patron saint of the Principality since 1873, the year in which she was declared the protector of Andorra, a fact that was ratified by the bishop of La Seu d'Urgell in 1914. Legend has it that on 6 January, the day on which the Three Wise Men are celebrated, a group of inhabitants of the village of Meritxel were on their way to Canillo to listen to the special mass on that day.
On the way, a surprising fact brought them to a halt: an area of the path was covered with flowers, something that should not be possible in the freezing Andorran winter weather. As the villagers approached, they were astonished to discover that among the flowers was an image of the Virgin and Child. Shocked by their discovery, the villagers reported what they had seen to the priest officiating in Canillo. The latter picked up the image of the Virgin after mass and put it inside the church for safekeeping.
The next day, when the priest returned to the church, he realised that the image had disappeared. Scandalised, he began to search for the image of the virgin, but no one knew where it was. Finally, it was found in the same place where it had been discovered, surrounded by flowers that seemed strangely immune to the snow. The Andorrans interpreted these events as a sign from the Virgin, so they built an oratory on the site where she was found, and a few metres away a chapel in her honour.
But this chapel quickly became too small, as devotees of the Mother of God travelled from all parts of Andorra to worship her. It was therefore decided to erect a larger hermitage, which could accommodate all the faithful.
And this hermitage was the place of worship of the Mother of God of Meritxell until 1972, when a terrible fire destroyed it on the night of 8-9 September. Unfortunately, the original carving of the Virgin was burnt in the fire, so what we have today is a reconstruction of it.
Despite what happened, the faith of the Andorran devotees has not been affected, as a new sanctuary for the virgin has been built just a few metres from the destroyed chapel, which is still standing guard over the valleys of Andorra today.
In addition to the carving of the Virgin of Meritxell, in the sanctuary you can see the carvings of the patron saints of all the parishes: Sant Serni in Canillo, Santa Eulalia in Encamp, Sant Corneli in Ordino, Sant Iscle in La Massana, Sant Esteve in Andorra la Vella, Sant Pere Màrtir in Escaldes-Engordany, and Sant Julià and Sant Germà de Sant Julià in Sant Julià de Lòria.
All of them sculpted by Sergi Mas.
Devotion to this virgin can even be seen in the Andorran hymn, which dedicates a verse to her "de Meritxell la gran Mare".