The Chapel of the Vera Cruz is attached to the Church of San Francisco and serves as the headquarters of the Royal Brotherhood of the Holy Vera Cruz and Confalón of Astorga. The current building dates back to 1816 and was rebuilt after the sieges suffered by the city during the Peninsular War.
“The first ordinances date from 1568, although there are documents indicating an earlier existence. Its remote origin can be traced back to the Franciscans’ veneration of the wood of the Cross. Moreover, the Brotherhood has always been linked to this religious community because, despite having its own chapel beside the Franciscan temple, space limitations often required them to use the church itself.
The excellent preservation of the Brotherhood’s archive allows us to better understand its history. From the 16th century, we know that members were admitted based on their participation in processions, either as ‘brothers of light’, who illuminated the images or insignias with torches, or as ‘brothers of discipline’, who practiced self-flagellation.
Initially, the Brotherhood held processions on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Outside of Passion Week, it participated in Corpus Christi celebrations and the parade for its feast day, the Cross of May. From that early period, two processional sculptures are preserved: a Crucified Christ dating from around 1560, and a Flagellated Christ, possibly by the same artist. In 1613, records indicate final payments to the Astorgan sculptor Gregorio Español for the creation of the Articulated Christ, an image used in the reenactment of the Descent from the Cross.
In the 18th century, the Brotherhood modernized its traditions. New floats were commissioned and others were reformed. In 1764, the Urn of the Recumbent Christ was replaced with a new one, sculpted by Joaquín García and gilded by Manuel García. A few years later, in 1783, the image of Jesus the Nazarene was sold to the town of Luyego de Somoza, and a new one was commissioned from José Francisco Terán. In 1789, the master assembler Mateo Núñez created a new altarpiece for the Brotherhood’s chapel, along with the Golden Cross, the Brotherhood’s current emblem.
In the 19th century, the Peninsular War interrupted this evolution. However, the chapel was rebuilt during the reign of Ferdinand VII, and a new float, the Agony in the Garden, was commissioned in Santiago de Compostela by José Jacobo Linares; today, it is preserved in San Justo de la Vega.
The 20th century brought about a reorganization of Holy Week. The Junta Profomento was established, new brotherhoods emerged, and historical ones, such as the Vera Cruz, underwent a renewal.
It was decided that the Procession of the Steps would be held on Holy Thursday. This tradition continued until 1963, featuring the ‘young Nazarenes’ of the Vera Cruz, alongside the Agony in the Garden float, the Green Cross, Saint Peter, and the Betrayal of Christ, acquired in 1909. On Good Friday afternoon, the Procession of the Holy Burial took place, including the Green Cross, Saint John the Evangelist, the Virgin of Solitude, and the Urn of the Recumbent Christ. The Descent from the Cross ceremony was discontinued but later revived in 1989.
Artistic renewal brought new sculptures from Valencian workshops. In 1907, a Saint John the Evangelist arrived, sparking enthusiasm that led the Vera Cruz Brotherhood to launch a public subscription for new sculptures. In 1909, two more were acquired: the Tears of Saint Peter, sculpted in Barcelona by Francisco P. Gómara, and the Betrayal of Christ (Kiss of Judas), created by José Romero Tena, inspired by the style of Francisco Salzillo.
In 1923, the Junta Profomento acquired the Descent from the Cross, also by José Romero Tena, and entrusted its custody to the Vera Cruz Brotherhood, making it an essential part of the Holy Burial procession.
After a decline in Holy Week celebrations during the 1960s and 1970s, a revival occurred in the 1980s, bringing new developments. In 1982, the Resurrected Christ Procession took place for the first time on Easter Sunday. In 1989, the Descent from the Cross ceremony was reinstated as part of the Holy Burial Procession. Another novelty was the Penitential Procession on Good Friday at dawn.
In 1992, on Palm Sunday night, a new procession was introduced, featuring the transfer of the Flagellated Christ from Piedralba, a 17th-century sculpture by the Astorgan artist Pedro del Valle.
The last addition to the Brotherhood’s collection is the Pietà, a sculpture by J. R. Palmero Alonso. The Brotherhood celebrates its feast on May 1st, and on the first weekend of March, it holds a Triduum in honor of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene, with Saturday dedicated to the remembrance of deceased members.”
Text: Miguel Ángel González and Manuel Arias Martínez.
Church of San Francisco and the Redemptorist Fathers’ Convent
Near the Puerta Sol, a gate in the city walls, we find an architecturally significant complex consisting of the Redemptorist Fathers’ Convent, the Church of San Francisco, and the Chapel Museum of the Vera Cruz.
It is believed that the convent may have been founded in the 13th century by Saint Francis of Assisi himself during his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. While there is some controversy over whether this pilgrimage actually took place, tradition holds that Saint Francis passed through Astorga around 1214.
Due to the sieges and destruction suffered by the city during the Peninsular War, as well as the Confiscation of Church Properties (Desamortización de Mendizábal), the Franciscans abandoned the convent in 1835. It was not until 1883 that the monastic building was reoccupied by a religious community, when it was taken over by the Redemptorist Fathers, who continue to own it today. The church’s dedication was changed to the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, though many locals still refer to it by its original name, dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi.
Unfortunately, few elements of the original Gothic church remain. Among the surviving features are sections of ribbed vaults and a pointed arch in the presbytery. Most of the current structure dates from the 17th century. Noteworthy features include its facade, adorned with a statue of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists, set within a niche above the entrance. In one of the side chapels, the Junco family coats of arms reflect the presence of this urban noble family in 17th-century Astorga.
Interesting Facts
Today, the Redemptorist Fathers, assisted by lay volunteers, have set up a hospitality space within the convent for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. During summer evenings, they offer a welcoming gathering for all pilgrims. At sunset, they also hold a prayer service and blessing in multiple languages for those present.
