The devotion of Isabella the Catholic

In the sacristy-museum of the Royal Chapel of Granada we find a series of paintings of Queen Isabella, which are closely related to her religious life. For this reason, it is necessary to know the devotion of Isabella the Catholic.

Would you like to know where the religious spirit of Isabella I of Castile came from? Stay and read this article, we will show you everything you need to know below!

The origin of her devotion

From her childhood, Isabella lived in Arévalo with her mother and grandmother, under the guidance and help of a venerable Franciscan friar, Fray Llorente. In this way, her upbringing and her environment made her a devotee of Saint Francis.

During her childhood, Isabella saw Fray Llorente as a religious exemplar, who guided her along the path of virtue and, in particular, prayer.

This personality influenced the queen so much that, when she died, she ordered that he be buried in a Franciscan habit.

Prayer books

We know that the Queen prayed the Divine Office, a fact that can be seen in her large library of prayer books such as breviaries, diurnals, bibles, devotionals, psalteries and missals. Thus, her Misal Rico, a precious work on parchment with 27 miniatures, is kept in Granada.

It should also be noted that Isabella the Catholic held in her hands the Life of Christ by the Catalan Franciscan Francesc Eiximenis, translated by Fray Hernando de Talavera. This copy includes a series of spiritual indications, meditations and prayers relating to the life of Christ, from his birth to his ascension.

In this way, through her reading of religious books, Isabella's spirituality was accentuated.

Time for prayer

Isabella devoted a large part of her day to prayer, far more than could be considered normal. According to the testimony of Fray Hernando de Talavera, the queen devoted a tithe of her time to prayer, which amounted to more than two hours a day.

The daily moments of prayer were ordered according to the canonical hours of morning, afternoon and evening. In addition, he prayed the Divine Office with the ladies of his court, in whom he tried to inspire a great spirit of piety and Christian life, which meant that many of them ended up in the cloister.

She also sometimes prayed the Office by joining a community, such as that of the Commanders of Santiago during her stay in Granada in 1499 and 1500.

Signs of her devotion

The effects of her devotion are abundant in Elizabeth's life. Thus, on 25 March, the feast of the Annunciation of Our Lady and the Incarnation of the Son of God in her womb, Elizabeth gave food to 9 poor women whom she served in her own hands in memory of the 9 months that Jesus dwelt in Mary's virginal womb.

This act was repeated on other feasts, such as Holy Thursday, when she offered food to 13 poor people, one for each Apostle plus Jesus Christ. He also washed their feet, provided them with clothes and shoes and gave them alms.

Finally, his decision to create the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel of Granada, together with numerous parish churches in different territories, should also be highlighted, especially his action in the kingdom of Granada.

Why visit the Royal Chapel of Granada?

As you have seen throughout this article on the devotion of Isabella the Catholic, the queen's life has always been linked to religion, which influenced her personality and her love of paintings of religious images, many of which are preserved today in the Royal Chapel of Granada.

If you would like to learn more about the history of Isabella the Catholic, don't hesitate to buy tickets for the Royal Chapel of Granada on the official ticketing website of the Archdiocese of Granada. 

Visit her mausoleum and discover her legacy!