Villarejo de SalvanésMonday October 04 2021
The TimesFor more than four centuries the villagers of Villarejo de Salvanés have venerated a statue of the Virgin Mary for her role in the Christian victory over the Ottoman Turks at the battle of Lepanto off the coast of Greece in 1571
the village near Madrid will have its finest hour: the Virgin of the Victory of Lepanto will be the focus of the country’s commemorations of the 450th anniversary of one of the world’s largest sea battles
Military chiefs will gather in front of the statue’s sanctuary to pay tribute to the fallen
a papal nuncio will attend a special mass and bullfighters