Primer Monasterio de la Visitación

Did the Primer Monasterio de la Visitación always stand on this quiet street? No. The Salesas nuns, of the Order of the Visitation of Saint Mary, first established their presence in Madrid on February 18, 1749. This Primer Monasterio de la Visitación was their first monastery in Spain. King Ferdinand VI and Queen Bárbara de Braganza, captivated by the Salesas’ spiritual charisma, became patrons of the order. The Queen envisioned the nuns educating noble girls and providing a sanctuary for her own prayer and reflection after her reign. The monarchs commissioned a magnificent monastery and church, and the nuns became known as the “Royal Salesas”. The Primer Monasterio de la Visitación was founded by the Visitation Monastery of Annecy, the order’s motherhouse. This original monastery, established by St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal, served as the inspiration for the Madrid foundation. Following the death of the King and Queen, the convent church transformed into the Royal Pantheon. The Salesas remained in this grand monastery until their expulsion in 1870. The building then became the Supreme Court, and the church, a parish. But the Primer Monasterio de la Visitación story doesn’t end there. In 1883, thanks to the generosity of Doña María del Rosario Wall de Fernández de Córdoba, a new monastery was built on Calle Santa Engracia. This new monastery, designed by the Marquis of Cubas, is the Primer Monasterio de la Visitación you see before you today. Over its 250-year history, the Primer Monasterio de la Visitación has been instrumental in establishing eight other monasteries across Spain and the Americas. These monasteries, in turn, founded even more, extending the Salesas’ reach as far as Samoa. This monastery also champions the devotion to the Seven Blessed Martyrs of 1936, members of the community whose relics are housed within the church. Their beatification process is currently underway. The Primer Monasterio de la Visitación continues to publish the writings of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal, as well as other venerated figures like St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. They are dedicated to spreading the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a devotion deeply connected to the Salesas through St. Margaret Mary Alacoque’s visions in the late 17th century. This devotion is propagated through the Guard of Honor and other means. So, as you stand before the Primer Monasterio de la Visitación, remember, you are not just looking at bricks and mortar. You are witnessing a testament to faith, resilience, and the enduring power of spiritual devotion.