Monestir de la Mare de Déu del Miracle

Monestir de la Mare de Déu del Miracle is a monastery complex in Cocentaina, in the Comtat region of Alicante province, joined to the town's Count's Palace (Palau Comtal). It is one of the most important centers of Marian devotion in this part of the Valencian Community and home to a community of Poor Clare nuns.

Where does the story behind the name begin?

The first Christian church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary in Cocentaina was built by King James I after he retook the town and resettled it with a Christian population in 1248. The story that gives the site its current name, though, starts much later. According to local tradition, on 19 April 1520, during an epidemic sweeping the region, a Byzantine-style icon of the Virgin kept in the chapel of Saint Anthony Abbot inside the Count's Palace wept during Mass celebrated by the priest Mossèn Onofre. Townspeople took the event as a miracle and adopted the image as their patroness under the title Mare de Déu del Miracle — the Virgin of the Miracle.

The monastery building itself came more than a century later. Construction began on 20 September 1656 on the initiative of the Corella family, who then held the county of Comtat. On 20 January 1670 the venerated image was solemnly moved into the newly finished church, marking the completion of the main works. In 1995 the Virgin was declared perpetual mayoress of Cocentaina — a purely honorary title, but one that shows how deeply the image is woven into local identity.

What is there to see inside?

The monastery's façade is deliberately plain, with a single large, round-arched doorway as the only way in. That austerity is intentional: the buildings, arranged around a cloistered courtyard and garden, give no hint from the street of what waits inside — a monastery church decorated in rich Baroque style.

The complex holds several notable artworks. Among them is a 15th-century Gothic altarpiece showing Saint Anne with Mary and the Christ Child, a 16th-century icon in the Byzantine Odegetria tradition, and a kneeler once used by the counts of Cocentaina. A separate group of paintings by the Neapolitan painter Paolo de Matteis was donated to the monastery in 1697 by Count Francisco de Benavides.

How do you get there, and when is the best time to visit?

The monastery sits in Cocentaina's historic center, right next to the Count's Palace, so both sites are easy to combine in a single visit. The town itself is well connected to Alicante and Valencia by highway, making it a practical stop in the Comtat region.

Because the building is still an active, cloistered convent, access to some areas can be limited, and it's worth checking service times before planning a visit. The most memorable time to come is during the patronal festivities honoring the Mare de Déu del Miracle, when the town holds processions and religious celebrations tied directly to the history of the weeping icon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Monestir de la Mare de Déu del Miracle? A monastery of Poor Clare nuns in Cocentaina, attached to the Count's Palace, built in the 17th century to house a venerated image of the Virgin Mary.

Why is the image called "del Miracle"? Tradition holds that on 19 April 1520 the icon of the Virgin wept during Mass amid an epidemic, an event regarded as miraculous that started the local cult.

When was the current monastery building constructed? Work began in 1656, and in 1670 the venerated image was ceremonially moved into the finished church.

What are the highlights inside? A Baroque monastery church, a 15th-century Gothic altarpiece of Saint Anne, a Byzantine-style Odegetria icon, and late-17th-century paintings by Paolo de Matteis.