Pope Francis grants the Golden Rose to the Virgin of the Macarena of Seville, Spain

A great ovation accompanied by applause flooded the Basilica of the Macarena in Seville when Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses conveyed to the faithful the decision of Pope Francis to present the Golden Rose to one of the most venerated and emblematic Marian images of the city: the Virgin of the Macarena.

After praying the Angelus on September 22, Bishop Saiz Meneses stated from the atrium of the Basilica of the Macarena that the Holy Father will honor this Virgin, a pillar of Andalusian Marian devotion, with this high distinction.

The tradition of awarding a Golden Rose dates back to the Middle Ages, and over the centuries it has been awarded to monasteries, shrines and notable personalities in recognition of their commitment to the faith.

With the delivery of the Rose to the Virgin of Macarena, the spiritual importance and deep meaning it represents for the life of the Catholic Church is also highlighted.

The Elder Brother of the Macarena Brotherhood, José Antonio Fernández Cabrero, expressed to ACI Prensa the “satisfaction” that this decoration represents, not only for the 17,000 members of this “universal brotherhood,” but also “for all of Seville.”

The request for this distinction was presented through a detailed file in which the Brotherhood’s Governing Board, together with different experts in history or anthropology, worked for seven years “with dedication and hope.”

“It is a gift from the Virgin by the hand of His Holiness, who is the one who grants it to us thanks to the mediation and interest of Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses, who presented the file that we prepared with effort and affection,” Fernández said.

José Antonio also pointed out that the Golden Rose should increase, if possible, devotion to the Virgin, and grant them hope “in moments of despair.”

He also stated that this “gift” from Pope Francis, which they receive with humility, can help the faithful to be “better and more charitable.”

The person in charge of bringing this decoration to Seville next December, within the framework of the Second International Congress of Brotherhoods and Popular Piety, will be Cardinal Edgar Peña Parra, substitute for general affairs of the Vatican Secretariat of State.

As José Antonio explained to ACI Prensa, the Golden Rose will always be “where it can be contemplated” and next to the Virgin, since it is a “gift for Her.”

Regarding the event, he pointed out that it must be in accordance “with the importance of the concession” and that it will be carried out with “the elegance, category and humility that the Virgin demands”, as well as with the “simplicity and pride that Seville deserves.”

It should be noted that this will be the third Golden Rose that Spain receives, after the Virgen de la Cabeza and the Virgin of Montserrat.

However, according to Fernández, this is the first Virgin of Sorrows to receive this decoration and it is also the first time that it is given “to a Virgin who is not the patron saint,” since the Virgin of Seville is the Virgin of the Kings.