It is said that the world’s first hospital for the mentally unstable was created in Valencia, in 1409. The hospital was placed under the patronage of a wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary which in fact is still preserved inside the basilica today. The iconography of this 15th century sculpture of this “Virgin of the Innocents, Fools and Forsaken'' is unique: she is leaning slightly forward, which makes her appear to have a small hump on her back, hence her popular name of Geperudeta –“little humpback” in Valencian. There’s a fairly good reason why the Valencian depiction of Mary features this humped back… You see it was originally placed on the coffins of the deceased, in a lying position with a cushion under her head! However when the statue was brought to this chapel l, she was propped up on her feet, thus adopting the posture we can see today. Soon the statue became very popular precisely because of the peculiar curvature of her back: it gives the impression that the Virgin looks directly upon the devotees who prostrate themselves at her feet.