Today is the feast day of a little known Marian devotion, Our Lady of Begoña. She is called Amatxu, mother, to the people of Biscay. This is special to me because I am named after the Blessed Virgin Mary under this title. You may know me as María, but family and close friends call me by my true name, the name I was called by my mother, Begoña. That explains why my social media is a variation of Bego.
My mother is also named Begoña. Her parents, Basques from Guipuzcoa, fled the strife of the Spanish Civil War, and settled in Cuba. When my mother was born, she was named after their beloved, amatxu. When I was born, I was given the same name.
A Name Isn’t Just a Name
I never gave much thought to why I carry this name, but with maturity comes the opportunity for some introspection. I understand why my mother bears this name, a way for my grandparents to hold onto their homeland and perhaps give a piece of it to their daughter born abroad. And I understand that I carry that piece of them, too.
I am a continent and two countries separated from their home of Legazpi. Who knew that one day their grandchildren would be in the United States, with children and grandchildren of their own. I didn’t always love my name because others thought it was “hard to pronounce” and too easy to default to Maria, but as I grew older, I think that perhaps I grew into it. There is nothing sweeter than being called by that name now.
The Story of Our Lady of Begoña
The origins of this devotion trace back to the early 16th century, though local legend suggests that the image of the Virgin Mary associated with Begoña dates to much earlier times. According to tradition, the Virgin appeared to a shepherd on the hillside of Begoña, near Bilbao, and a chapel was built in her honor.
The small chapel quickly became a pilgrimage site, as people from the surrounding Basque region flocked to seek the intercession of the Virgin Mary. Over the centuries, the site underwent several transformations, with the current basilica, built in Gothic style, constructed between the 16th and 17th centuries.
Throughout history, the devotion to Our Lady of Begoña has been a source of consolation and strength, especially for the Basque people. In times of war, plague, and hardship, many turned to her for protection. During the Spanish Civil War, the basilica was damaged by shelling, yet the faithful continued to venerate the Virgin. Her statue, housed within the basilica, has become a symbol of the enduring faith of the people.