The Miracle of Empel: An Unconventional Christmas Tale
Introduction
For the exceptional tale of The Miracle of Empel (Milagro de Empel in Spanish) we’re – for once - not talking about the Second World War but about the Eighty Years’ War which raged between Spain and Holland in the 16th century.
The Miracle of Empel happened in my backyard here in the Netherlands, so let me share this amazing Spanish victory over the Dutch on 8 December 1585. The miracle is still celebrated every year by Spaniards flocking to the shores of the river Meuse. This year, on 8 December 2023, I experienced the first part of this remarkable ceremony down by the river.
Visiting the Event on 8 December
Background
How did the Immaculate Conception become the Patroness saint of Spain and of the Spanish Armed Forces?
In December 1585, the Spanish soldiers of the Tercio Viejo de Zamora found themselves surrounded in Empel, a town on the river Meuse in the Netherlands, after the Dutch rebels opened the dikes and water flooded the entire area.
When all seemed lost, a Spanish soldier found a panel with the image of the Immaculate Conception, surely hidden by local Catholics to keep it safe from the image destruction campaign unleashed by the Calvinists.
Spanish soldiers, seeking the Immaculate Conception's protection, witnessed a miraculous event: a sudden icy wind descended upon the river Meuse, freezing the water. This enabled the Tercio Viejo of Zamora to break the siege and triumph over the terrified rebels, a moment now known as the Miracle of Empel.
From that day forward, the Immaculate Conception became the guardian of the Spanish Tercios. In 1892, she was officially declared the Patroness of the Spanish Infantry, a title she had held unofficially for centuries. Additionally, the Immaculate Conception holds various other patronages within the Spanish Army.
Obsessi apud Bommeliam Hispani Anno 1585 - The Spaniards were driven out of the Bommelerwaard by breaking the dikes 1585
Since 2004, the Spanish Army has made it a custom to pay tribute to its patron saint in that Dutch town where the miracle occurred. The soldiers taking part are stationed at the Allied Joint Force Headquarters in Brunssum in the Netherlands.
Hundreds of Spanish citizens from all over Europe flock to the, now tiny, village of Empel on this Holy Day of The Immaculate Conception to celebrate their patron and their historic victory.
The Empel Maria
The Empel Chapel
On 8 December 2000 a small chapel was erased in Empel on the place where all earlier Empel Catholic churches stood. The last church was bombed in WW2. From the ceremony on the river, the Spaniards paid tribute to the chapel and then went to a communal Mass in New Empel.
On YouTube you can watch more on this ceremony (in Spanish). Below is a short explanation of the videos.
