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Meaning & History
From the Marian title Virgen de Valvanera, Patron saint of the Spanish province of La Rioja. The name refers to the Monastery of Valvanera, where Virgin Mary is venerated.It is believed that the monastery is named after the valley where it is located. It is theorized that the Latin name of the valley was Vallis Venaria due to the many water channels and rivers in the area, although its exact meaning is uncertain and may be related to Goddess Venus (from its Latin genitive Veneri), or hunting (from Latin venatio, like Venaria Reale in Turin).