The Museum of Science and Water is hosting for the first time the exhibition “The Offering of Silk: The Thread That Weaves Faith”, a unique display that will allow visitors to appreciate one of the most remarkable pieces of devotional heritage from Murcia: the purple vestment offered to the Patroness of Murcia, the Virgin of Fuensanta, by the Royal Silk Commissioner, Federico Bernardes, in 1929.
The silk vestment is composed of four pieces adorned with silk and gold decorations, featuring moths, silkworms, cocoons, and mulberry leaves that depict a symbolic narrative of transformation, light, and hope.
This vestment comprises a mantle measuring 3.15 metres wide and 2.15 metres high, a bodice, a skirt, and the garment of the Child Jesus. It is an ensemble embroidered with Murcian silk threads, representing a deep connection between popular religiosity, the traditional huertano culture, and the ancient silk industry that for centuries provided economic sustenance to thousands of Murcian families, according to a statement issued by Murcia City Council.
The exhibition will remain open to the public until 29 June 2025 and is part of the major display “Silk in Murcia: Weaving Together History and Science”, organised by the Murcian Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Development (IMIDA) within the framework of the European project ARACNE. It is held in collaboration with the Illustrious Chapter of the Cathedral of Murcia, custodian of the Virgin’s treasures.
“The Offering of Silk: The Thread That Weaves Faith” is an exhibition that invites visitors to immerse themselves in culture through faith and memory, offering an opportunity to reconnect with sacred art, local history, and the invisible thread that, for centuries, has bound Murcia to its Virgin.
Murcia City Councillor for Culture, Diego Avilés, and the Dean of the Cathedral of Murcia took part in the presentation of this newly exhibited piece, which has already attracted nearly 30,000 visitors.
