María Torribia
Encyclopedia
Maria Torribia was a Spanish
peasant woman who is believed to have married Saint Isidore
. She herself was eventually beatified by the Roman Catholic Church
, and is known in Spain as Santa María de la Cabeza (in English
, "Saint Mary of the Head").
Torribia is believed to have been born in Uceda
, in the Spanish province of Guadalajara
. She subsequently lived in Torrelaguna
, in Madrid Province
, close to Guadalajara
. There, she met and married Isidore, a simple farmer from Madrid
(who, according to some sources, had fled there as a result of the Almoravid
invasion), with whom she would have her only son. According to legend, the child one day fell down a deep well, leaving the parents with no recourse but prayer. Miraculously, the water level suddenly rose to the level of the ground, and the floating baby was easily rescued unharmed. As a result of this, she and her husband committed themselves to sexual abstinence as a form of devotion, and, from that time on, lived in different homes. However, their son would later die in childhood.
Torribia substantially outlived her husband, who died in 1130. After his death, she lived as a hermit, performed miracles, and had visions. For instance, legend suggests that every night she dreamed of the Virgin Mary, who would cross the Jarama River
while extending her pure cloak over the waters.
on August 11, 1697, made her and Saint Isidore the only beatified husband and wife. The somewhat unusual title "Santa María de la Cabeza" is derived from the most prominent relic
associated with Torribia, a head said to be her own. This relic is often used in processions, and is traditionally an intercessory tool for the relief of drought . Revered by farm workers throughout the Catholic world, she shares a feast day with her husband (May 15), while also having her own on September 9.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
peasant woman who is believed to have married Saint Isidore
Isidore the Laborer
Isidore the Laborer, also known as Isidore the Farmer, , was a Spanish day laborer known for his goodness toward the poor and animals. He is the Catholic patron saint of farmers and of Madrid and of La Ceiba, Honduras....
. She herself was eventually beatified by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, and is known in Spain as Santa María de la Cabeza (in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, "Saint Mary of the Head").
Torribia is believed to have been born in Uceda
Uceda
Uceda is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 1,575 inhabitants....
, in the Spanish province of Guadalajara
Guadalajara (province)
Guadalajara is a province of central/north-central Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It is bordered by the provinces of Cuenca, Madrid, Segovia, Soria, Zaragoza, and Teruel...
. She subsequently lived in Torrelaguna
Torrelaguna
Torrelaguna is a municipality of the Community of Madrid, Spain.-Main sights:The parish church of La Magdalena is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the community of Madrid....
, in Madrid Province
Madrid (autonomous community)
The Community of Madrid is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain. It is located at the center of the country, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Castilian Central Plateau . The community is also conterminous with the province of Madrid and contains the capital of Spain, which is also...
, close to Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Spain
Guadalajara is a city and municipality in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain, and in the natural region of La Alcarria. It is the capital of the province of Guadalajara. It is located roughly 60 km northeast of Madrid on the Henares River, and has a population of 83,789...
. There, she met and married Isidore, a simple farmer from Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
(who, according to some sources, had fled there as a result of the Almoravid
Almoravids
The Almoravids were a Berber dynasty of Morocco, who formed an empire in the 11th-century that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Their capital was Marrakesh, a city which they founded in 1062 C.E...
invasion), with whom she would have her only son. According to legend, the child one day fell down a deep well, leaving the parents with no recourse but prayer. Miraculously, the water level suddenly rose to the level of the ground, and the floating baby was easily rescued unharmed. As a result of this, she and her husband committed themselves to sexual abstinence as a form of devotion, and, from that time on, lived in different homes. However, their son would later die in childhood.
Torribia substantially outlived her husband, who died in 1130. After his death, she lived as a hermit, performed miracles, and had visions. For instance, legend suggests that every night she dreamed of the Virgin Mary, who would cross the Jarama River
Jarama
Jarama is a river in central Spain. It flows north to south, and passes east of Madrid when El Atazar Dam is built on a tributary, the Lozoya River. It flows into the river Tagus in Aranjuez...
while extending her pure cloak over the waters.
Veneration
It appears that her remains were officially transferred to Torrelaguna in 1615, more than 400 years after her estimated death between 1175 and 1180. Her beatification by Pope Innocent XIIPope Innocent XII
Pope Innocent XII , born Antonio Pignatelli, was Pope from 1691 to 1700.-Biography:He was born in Spinazzola to one of the most aristocratic families of the Kingdom of Naples, which included many Viceroys, and ministers to the crown, and was educated at the Jesuit college in Rome.In his twentieth...
on August 11, 1697, made her and Saint Isidore the only beatified husband and wife. The somewhat unusual title "Santa María de la Cabeza" is derived from the most prominent relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
associated with Torribia, a head said to be her own. This relic is often used in processions, and is traditionally an intercessory tool for the relief of drought . Revered by farm workers throughout the Catholic world, she shares a feast day with her husband (May 15), while also having her own on September 9.