Andorran National Day / Our Lady of Meritxell Day
Andorran National Day, also known as Our Lady of Meritxell Day, is celebrated annually on September 8, marking both the country's national identity and the feast of its patron saint. This day honors Andorra's rich history, which dates back to the ninth century when it was declared an independent principality by Charlemagne. Over the centuries, Andorra maintained a unique co-sovereign status, ruled jointly by the Spanish bishop of Urgel and the French Count of Foix until its independence in 1993, when it became a member of the United Nations.
With a population of fewer than 70,000, the celebration is significant in the capital, Andorra la Vella. The General Council established the dual observance of the National Day and the Feast of the Birth of Mary in 1873, intertwining national pride with religious devotion. Our Lady of Meritxell is revered as the Andorran version of the Virgin Mary, symbolizing cultural and spiritual unity. This holiday serves as a reflection of Andorra's unique heritage and the resilience of its people amidst the challenges posed by its mountainous landscape and historical struggles for autonomy.
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Andorran National Day / Our Lady of Meritxell Day
Andorran National Day / Our Lady of Meritxell Day
The tiny European nation of Andorra, landlocked and wedged between France and Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains, honors its national existence annually on September 8.
Andorra's history goes back to the days of the Frankish conqueror Charlemagne, who according to legend declared it to be an independent principality in the ninth century. The rugged, mountainous terrain made it difficult for any invader to secure control, and in 1278 the Spanish bishop of Urgel and the French Count of Foix agreed to cease fighting over the region and rule as cosovereigns. This remarkable arrangement lasted for 715 years (although the Count of Foix's title eventually devolved to the central French government), until 1993, when Andorra became an independent nation with membership in the United Nations. The tiny country has less than 70,000 inhabitants, approximately 20,000 of whom live in the capital and largest city of Andorra la Vella. The country's National Day, honored on September 8 of every year as a public holiday, is also known as Our Lady of Meritxell Day. This double commemoration has been in effect ever since the Andorran General Council decided in 1873 to make the Feast of the Birth of Mary contemporaneous with the National Day. The Lady of Meritxell is the Andorran incarnation of the Virgin Mary, and she is the patron saint of the nation.