Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, Gibraltar

The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe with deep spiritual and historical resonance, originally began life as a mosque, built during Moorish rule. In 1462, following the Christian reconquest, the structure was transformed into a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Europe-a powerful symbol, consecrating the entire continent under her protection and anchoring devotion in this liminal space.

Central to the shrine is the wooden statue of the Virgin and Child, modest in size at about two feet tall, painted in royal red, blue, and gold. The Virgin sits with the child Jesus on her lap, crowned and holding a scepter decorated with three symbolic flowers representing Love, Truth, and Justice. Over centuries, sailors passing through the Strait of Gibraltar saluted the shrine, and ensured a light burned continuously-thus making the shrine’s tower Gibraltar’s first maritime beacon.

The shrine endured repeated upheaval: in 1704, during the Anglo-Dutch capture of Gibraltar, it was looted, and the statue was deliberately destroyed and cast into the sea. Miraculously, pieces were recovered and safeguarded in Algeciras for decades. The shrine building itself was repurposed by military authorities and fell into disrepair until it was formally returned to the Church in 1961, restored, and, in a moment of renewal, the statue was processed back by sea and reinstated in 1967.

Today, the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe holds a special place in the heart of Gibraltarian life. In 1979, Pope John Paul II officially recognized Our Lady as the Patroness of Gibraltar, and the feast day was aligned with Europe Day, 5 May, reinforcing the shrine’s lasting continental and spiritual identity. It’s also part of the prestigious European Marian Network, linking twenty major Marian sanctuaries across Europe.