Virgin

church

Villagers accuse priest of stealing Virgin statue

Residents of the tiny village of Pontenova in the north-west of Spain have refused to carry a statue of the Virgin Mary in the traditional annual parade because they claim that a local parish priest has swapped the original for a fake copy and pocketed all the decorative jewels.

Virgin

Pic of the day: Islanders take saint for a splash

Thousands of people in the Canary city of Puerto de la Cruz attended a boat procession on Tuesday which saw their patron saint of fishermen taken out to sea.

Easter

VIDEO: Virgin falls from float in Easter fail

One of the 28 Easter parades held in Spain's Alicante province last week took an unexpected turn when a statue of the Virgen de los Dolores toppled from her float and almost landed on the heads of her bearers.

religion

Fury after 'Virgin Mary' awarded top police medal

The Spanish interior ministry's decision to award the Gold Medal of Police Merit, the highest honour of the country's national force, to an image of the Virgin Mary has been described as "mockery" by Police union chiefs.

Virgin

Thieves steal Virgin's crown on procession eve

Locals in Pedrajas de San Esteban were shocked to find thieves had stolen the local Virgin Mary's golden crown the night before the village's annual pilgrimage.