Torrevieja Outlook
la Inmaculada church
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022A Supplement December 2015 Torrevieja la Inmaculada Church A history and guide
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December 2015
A barraca style house used as the first church in Torrevieja. December is when Torrevieja celebrates the patronal fiestas dedicated to the patron saint of the town - la Inmaculada or the Immaculate Conception of Mary whose feast is on 8th of the month. It is impossible to separate Torrevieja from its church and patroness, La Inmaculada. The cover photo shows the church in December just after the flower offering when hundreds of people from various associations parade carrying flowers that are built up in front of the church. The first church of la Inmaculada was located in a barraca house on the seafront, but soon outgrew the needs of the growing community, which continued to be part of the Holy Rosary parish of La Mata, erected on 16th March 1772. Sailors in particular had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary under this title of La Inmaculada and her image was carried on the Navy’s galleon ships of the Valencian kingdom at this time with her nickname of “la Galeona”. On 21st May 1789, La Inmaculada was acclaimed patroness of Torrevieja and on 13th September the first small church was built and blessed with that title. Prior to this there was a small hermitage erected in 1615 dedicated to the Inmaculada whose feast day was established for Spain and the Indies by Pope Alexander VII on 8th December 1664.
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At the inauguration on 13th September 1789, of the new church, the Bishop of Orihuela, Don Jose Torno, carried the blessed Eucharist in procession from the La Mata Church to the new church. The first parish priest was Don Roques Martinez, who held the first funeral service on 17th September of that year, the deceased, Josef Cortes, being buried in the These photos show the models that are old cemetery that was located roughly where the Fontana Hotel is. Two days later, on the 19th, the first Baptism was celebrated, Petrola in the local Sea & Maria del Pilar Francisca, daughter of the sacristan, making her the Salt Museum. You first true Torrevejense. On 7th October the first marriage ceremony can sea the took place.
original village with the storage areas of salt known as the Eras de la Sal and the quay. The bottom model shows the barraca church with a cross on the roof and the huddle of houses. The top right shows the tower that gave the town its namer and its position.
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From 1789 to 1800 some 130 children were born in Torrevieja. The actual parish was clearly defined as to where its limits were, and each
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of the surrounding parishes of Guardamar, Rojales, San Miguel de las Salinas and Orihuela have documentation agreeing to the new parish limits of each one corresponding to the new parish of La Inmaculada, Torrevieja. The Bishop allotted 1,300 “reales de vellón” for the maintenance of the church, which included 600 reales for the sacristan, whose job-description included the cleaning of the church and the toilet and, in general, helping the priest in his work. 200 reales were put aside for lamp oil, candles and other expenses. Carlos III donated 3,000 reales to the church from the resources of the salt workings.
The first statue of la Inmaculada was installed in 1791, coming from the workshop of la Academia de San Carlos in Valencia, the work of Don Jose Puche. Over the next few years the congregation contributed to embellishing this image with a crown (1794) and a bier to carry the image on during processions, the work of the same artist. This statue was destroyed in 1936 at the beginning of the Civil War when the church was set on fire, but not the crowns which were saved by a parishioner.
Church development and fiestas In 1812 Don Antonio Cortes was appointed parish priest and more and more images, paintings and tapestries were donated to decorate the church. Among them was a statue of San Emigdio, which was a devotion carried over from La Mata, as he is the patron saint of earthquake prevention. His altar was to the side of the main altar and he is considered to be the co-patron saint of Torrevieja. There is now a small chapel in the Jardin de las Naciones dedicated to this saint, with an annual pilgrimage in his honour and a five-day festival held in August each year. Antonio Blasco y Viudes donated an image of ‘la Soledad’ to the church in 1807 and the procession of this image of the Virgen Mary through the streets was really the origins of the Holy Week processions. In 1827, Father Felix Martinez, a monk from the convent of San Gregorio in Orihuela, blessed mural Stations of the Cross and every year the devotion of the Via Crucis became a regular event. Although the murals have long gone these are probably the oldest fiestas of the town and the beginning of the Semana Santa
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San Emigdio is patron saint against earthquakes and is copatron of Torrevieja. The chapel in the park of the Nations is dedicate to him with fiestas in August.
or Holy Week celebrations. By 1846 the costs of these processions were recorded in Town Hall records for the first time and they have continued ever since with brief intervals. Today the huge float of “Jesus in the Garden of Olives” is carried by over 100 members of the foreign community as part of an overall integration and some have even carried the Cross in the Via Crucis. Many women and children participate in the lines that walk alongside the floats. Over the years many individual foreigners have taken part in the Holy Week processions but this type of communal integration is unique in Spain, although other towns are imitating this. As early as 1830 there were fiestas held in honour of the town’s patroness, la Inmaculada. This included the singing of “Serafina” about a Torrevieja folklore character, which is still included in the fiestas of December. This is part of the children’s playtime with the Bigheads of Lili (based on the film ‘Lili’), Lobo and the Ogre. Those first patronal fiestas were held in July, but soon moved to December. Today they continue over an eight-day period, enjoyed by everyone and more and more involvement by the foreigners and those Spaniards who have come from other parts of Spain to live in Torrevieja. These include bagpipers and dancers from Asturias and foreign groups in the large Floral Procession. The British also hold a successful Carol Concert in the main plaza in aid of aormi@icloud.com
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charity, and take part in a Mass offering, donating food to the town’s needy. The Scandinavians donate a huge fir tree that is set up and decorated in the main plaza.
On 21 March 1829, a catastrophic earthquake struck the Vega Baja area (considered to be at least 6, 2 on the Richter scale) and in Torrevieja the parish priest, his parents and other people died in the fallen rubble. From 21st March to the 28th March at least 57 earth tremors were noted. The epicentre of the main 1829 earthquake seems to have begun a quarter of a league (about a kilometre) from Rafal and rumbled towards Torrevieja and Murcia direction. Windows were broken as far away as Orihuela. On Saturday, 21st March 1829, about 18.15 in the early evening, when some of the good people of Torrevieja were at their prayers in the church, the first big earthquake struck in ever-increasing ripples, affecting all the area, right through into the Murcia region. It only lasted for seconds, but in retrospect seemed like ages.
In Torrevieja, and other nearby towns, many houses collapsed on top of their inhabitants and an immense dense cloud of dust settled on the ruins of the church. The church tower, La Torrecilla, was destroyed and subsequently the church was considered to be unsafe to use. At 16.00 on 12th July, 1830, the first Ayuntamiento (Town Council) was constituted in Torrevieja in the new Mayor’s house. A week later a religious celebration was held on the 18th July in thanksgiving, celebrated by the parish priest, Don José Miralles, in the presence of the new Mayor, Don José Galiana Tarancón, who served in that office until 9th Feb. 1831. This council were jailed because of a dispute with he Salt Administrator about the positioning of the main plaza and the church. aormi@icloud.com
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The provisional church near the seafront was the victim of devastating heavy winds on 10th September 1830, but volunteers rebuilt it. In 1832, the new priest in charge, Don Jaime Martínez, continued the reconstruction work of the main church building, including a roof, which lasted for forty years, but the principal work did not take place until 1844.
Coat of Arms It does not seem likely that at this early stage in the town council’s history that there was the heraldic shield that we see nowadays and which has been altered several times, but still keeping the basic emblems. It depicts some of Torrevieja’s well-known elements and symbols. There is the sea with a sailing ship, a strip of land with a tower, and two barraca houses alongside, one of these has a cross on top representing the first church in use. In the sky a couple of seagulls are winging their way. Included also are four yellow and red bars of Aragon, likely representing that this town was the ultimate one on the frontier line of that kingdom. In this coat of arms we can see the representation of the boat as that of the seamen, fishermen and boat builders of the town; the town’s actual origins in the tower; the people’s style of life in the barracas; the environment and wildlife in the seagulls. A royal crown surmounts the whole ensemble and this represents the connection with the salt of La Mata and Torrevieja, as these were prerogatives of the Crown. It was not until February 13th, 1895 that there was any official request made to use it as an emblem of the town. Then in 2000 the town council asked that a new coat-of-arms be drawn up with the consensus of all the political parties. By 1843 there were around 4,000 people in Torrevieja and La Mata. D. José Quesada Rastoll was in charge for just over a year until 1st February 1844. Once more the first Mayor, Don José Galiana Tarancón took over the Mayor’s office on 20th February 1844 and remained Mayor until 2nd January 1852, permitting a bit more stability into the local political system. He had been jailed during his first stint as mayor because there was conflict to just where the church should be placed in the blossoming town and the present site was eventually chosen. At the same time the church of la Inmaculada continued to be an important focus in the lives of the townsfolk. Don Juan de Dios Arjona was parish priest from 1842 to 1844 and extended the church to the north into what was then called calle Chacón, but is today named after the musician Maestro Vallejos and where a much-needed church centre was
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As can be seen the town was in an open bay and subject to bad weather and often ships were sunk. It took until the 1950’s before a proper harbour wall was constructed.
built in 2004. This priest seems to have moved on rather quickly, perhaps because he was suspected of being a ‘fence’ for some of the smugglers’ goods. From 1840 to 1890 a remarkable man, Don Jose Aguirre García, was appointed as the master builder and overseer of public works in the Torrevieja; it is thanks to him that so much of the ongoing rebuilding work was carried out. There is no doubt that during these years the climate was very different from today and the coast was often lashed with fierce storms destroying the small barraca church and part of the Eras de la Sal. He saw his work destroyed a couple of times by storms. At a public meeting called by the Mayor on 31st July 1844, it was agreed that the provisional church building was too small as it could only hold about fifty people out of a population of around four thousand. In 1848 there were 4,000 people in 845 families. During this year all the towns of Spain wrote a petition to the Cortes, which was signed by 2,146 inhabitants of Torrevieja. This was to ask that Spain be declared a united Catholic country; 3.445,396 Spanish citizens signed this petition.
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The first type of hospital or clinic was in the house of the priest Don Francisco Sarrio. Later a larger building was built that housed the Carmelites, elderly and some sick. Today Torrevieja has two hospitals and this former building is now used for social purposes. A Caring Priest. Public clinic The church and a large part of the town’s progress went hand-in-hand, as the church was a central meeting place for the population. One of the best-known priests was Don Francisco Sarrio who was in charge from 1847 to 1878. He came from Petrel and among his achievements was the inauguration of the Santo Hospital del Caridad. Volunteers initially supervised this, until the Carmelite Sisters managed it. The original request for a hospital was in a written document from the Mayor to the Governor of the Alicante Province on 10th May 1869 outlining how the town intended caring for the needs of the elderly and the poor. The small hospital was set up in the priest’s house and over the years, especially during the troubled First Republic, was of great benefit to the townspeople. In 1885 there was a virulent epidemic that was so alarming that nuns from the Franciscans Tertiarias de la Caridad were sent to help out the townspeople at El Santo Hospital de Caridad. The town hall paid all the medicines at this time, which were between 25 and 62, 50 pesetas per month. When the signs of the smallpox disease finally died out in 1895, the Franciscan nuns left and the hospital was left in the care of a married couple, Manuel Mayol Pérez and Carmen Mínguez Carreras, until the arrival of the Carmelite nuns a short time that lasted for next 150 years. They added a residence for the elderly and a private school for small children.
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The nuns moved to the present beautiful purpose built residence and private college in the Primavera district as part of a deal by which the town accepted the old building in return for land on which to build the modern complex. One stipulation by the nuns was that the former convent should be used for social purposes.
Replacement of old church Don Francisco Fuentes, had a very short stay as parish priest from 1878 – 1879. Don José Valera who, on 16th September 1880, formed a commission to rebuild a new church followed him. The old church was in service until 1880 when it was partially destroyed by another earthquake. On 16th September, 1880, a local committee under the joint presidency of the new priest, D. José Valera, and the next Mayor, D. Pedro Sáez Grao, was set up to oversee the work on the new building and raise funds for its construction. In April, 1878 Torrevieja's church was in a ruinous condition. It was a question of constructing one mostly of iron. On the following month, in May and by virtue of a report of the architect Mas and on order of the civil and ecclesiastic authorities of the province, they proceeded to demolish the church, withdrawing all the images, closed to worship and consequently for some time Torrevieja was deprived of a decent place for the religious rites. The works of the parochial church of the Immaculate Conception did not give begin until the year 1879. A new priest was appointed in 1883, Rev. D. Antonio Gómez Cánovas, who remained until 1900 and during his time the status of the parish was raised to arciprestal. Many people contributed to the new church building in both small offerings and large
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donations. It was inaugurated in 1889, its design and structure basically very much as it is today, In November, 1895, the architects Jose Guardiola and Tomás Aznar replaced Jose Ramon Mas, to continue the works of the church, and also took charge of the works going on at the Casino. In 1904 the church inside was painted white, with bold arches that were supporting the high vault, with broad large windows so that the sun shone in illuminating the interior. The towers were improved and a clock installed and ready for the feasts on December 8, 1928. The interior was painted in its present gold and cream style in 2000. The Inmaculada church was in the process of being rebuilt at the turn of the century under the supervision of D. Francisco Albentosa and most of it was now completed. In 1901 a tower, Torre de Poniente, was built on to the la Inmaculada church located in the main plaza. The priest in charge was Don Antonio Vidal who served from 1900 to 1905 inaugurating the newly built tower in 1901 when a new clock and bell were installed: these were strengthened in 2013 autumn along with the choir loft redesigned to support a new organ. The 50th anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was celebrated with pomp in 1904 and the new retable of the main altar was blessed and inaugurated with eight Torrevieja born priests taking part in the novena. After Don Antonio the next priest was Don Benito López Gil who served the parish from 1906 - 1936 and is one of the most important figures in Torrevieja’s history.
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In 1907 the second Levante tower was inaugurated and new bells replaced the bell in the Poniente clock tower. These new bells were bought with a gift of 5,000 pesetas from the government of Alfonso XIII and other donations, but were destroyed during the civil war. Four new bells were installed in the Levante tower as part of the Jubilee year 2000 celebrations. Photos by photographer Darblade show the church with the one tower in 1901 and a later photo of the square with the two towers of the church. Don Benito who served the community for thirty years was loved by his parishioners and was largely responsible for the layout of the church we can see today.
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An ominous sign of what lay ahead in the future occurred when two opposing political parties were arguing over whether or not the annual procession of San Vicente Ferrer should take place, the week after Easter Monday. This was when the Blessed Sacrament was taken in procession to the nearby local “hospital” and old people’s home in the town centre. The parish priest sought advice from his superiors who told him to go ahead with the traditional procession. The procession got as far as the church corner when someone fired shots in the air and the crowd scattered leaving poor Don Benito holding the Eucharist in his hands. No one was injured, but it heralded what was to come. It is a pity that the new Second Republic and the Civil War marred this lovely priest’s final year in Torrevieja.
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During the July of 1907, the Infanta Isabel, the Marquesa de Nájera, and the Doña de Beltrán de Luis visited Torrevieja. She was officially greeted at the steps of the town hall by the assistant Mayor and other civil and military authorities. During her short stay in Torrevieja she visited the la Inmaculada church where the traditional “Salve” was sung. On her departure she left alms amounting to 175 pesetas for the poor people of the town.
Inside the church in the first two decades new statues of saints were placed on the side altars. Among them the statue of Padre Jesús Yacente, (Christ in his tomb) which is in a glass fronted case and is part of a popular local devotion: the present statue is carried in the Semana Santa processions. The image of la Dolorosa (Our Lady of the Seven Dolours) was a gift of the parents of D. Joaquin Chapaprieta, who, as we have seen, was one of the most important figures in the Spanish government. The church is built on the traditional Latin cross design and near the Dolorosa statue is an altar dedicated to the Virgen del Carmen, patroness of the fishermen and used on 16th July fiestas; her image is flanked by San Juan de la Cruz and Santa Teresa both Carmelites. Other statues include Padre Jesús Nazareno (also carried during Semana Santa processions) and St. Peter and then San Juan (Evangelist), a donation by the Fortipiani family in 1915. San Pancracio, (the patron saint of businesses) was also introduced into the church, where his statue is seen on the right hand side of the church. Two other statues of Jesus are Cristo de la Flagelación and Cristo Crucificado, both also used during Semana Santa celebrations. The retable of the main altar shows the town’s patroness, la Inmaculada with her husband San José holding the child Jesus and statues of her parents Santa Ana and San Joaquín. Pope Leo XII named this main altar an Altar Privilegiado Perpetuo in 1924.
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Jesus Yacente or Christ in his tomb, is always present during the Seaman Santa processions guarded by some military unit that changes each year.
Today, at the entrance of the church on the right hand side is a large statue of the Virgen of Consolation, which is the work of the famous artist Salzillo. Since the Civil War other images have been added that demonstrate popular devotions of the 20th century including the Virgen of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes (which has a group that organizes annual pilgrimages to Lourdes). St. Francis of Assisi is evident and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, patron saint of local doctors, and the small image of a young Jesus known as the Child of Prague with an interesting Spanish/Czech connection, on a side altar. A small statue of Gemma Galgani who is a 20th century saint is near the large crucifix carried in Holy Week, and nearby is the Sacred Heart of Jesus image flanked by Jesuit priest, Claude de la Colombiere and the Visitation nun, Margaret Alacoque, who made this particular devotion popular.
In 1904 writer Cesar Carrera, gives a vivid description of the patronal fiestas of la Inmaculada when arches of foliage curved over the streets garlanded with ribbons of red and white. Window bars and the arches were decorated with lights at night and the popular mezcleta or trueno, as it was then known, set off an explosion of noise and smoke followed by Bengal fireworks. He particularly mentions the traditional Novena of Masses and prayers and noted how many sailors followed the procession on their knees and this novena continues in December, including one day dedicated to the foreign community.
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At the time of the Spanish Civil War 19336/39 the church was burned along with the small church in the plaza Oriente and the registry office and magistrate courts.
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A popular meal for this fiesta was, and still is, the cocido con pelotas which is a meatball mixture of minced meat, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs and pine kernels cooked in a good stock. This is also a feast for those ladies with a name related to la Inmaculada, such as Inma, Concha, Pura, or Inmaculada. The anti-clericalism and intolerance of the new breed of social politicians and the burning of the churches meant that these fiestas were not held in 1931; and there was confrontation between the socialist mayor, who had banned the usual procession, and sailors who were demanding that it continue, the seamen making a petition to the governor civil signed by 2,000 signatures. The parish priest announced that if the procession did not continue then he had no alternative but to resign and a huge crowd invaded the town hall looking for the mayor, but were prevented by the local guards who were reinforced later by some Guardia Civil. It started to rain and the crowd dispersed and this fiesta was not held until the end of the civil war. During the first five-year period of the Second Republic (1936 - 39) some 500 churches were destroyed in Spain, only a foretaste of what was still to come when the country was divided by civil war and thousands were executed because they were priests, landowners or factory owners on the one side and executed as Republicans branded as communists on the opposite side. In Torrevieja on 3rd March the Inmaculada church in the main plaza and the hermitage at plaza Oriente were set on fire, and in Guardamar a corporal and guardia were assassinated. On 7th March the Alicante civil governor telegraphed all the town mayors that they must guard public property including the churches.
New organ being installed in choir loft will also be used for organ concert recitals as well as church services. aormi@icloud.com
Also lost in the fire were the tubes of the organ, which had been a donation of Se単or D. Pedro Soto y Melgarejo, who had left money in his will to the church. The organ was made in Germany and among those who played it was the famous internationally known pianist Torrevieja born, Do単a Maria Gil. Two church bells were taken off, destined to become war material, although one was kept by the town hall as an alarm bell in case of air raids. An organ appeal fund was launched in 2003 and many foreign groups, especially choirs, helped raise funds for a new one, installed in 2016. The bells have their own history and new ones replaced others in 2002.
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Don Francisco started the reconstruction work of the burnt out church and installed the clock, which is at present in the church tower and acquired by the Ayuntamiento from Roquetas de Tarragon on 12 March 1940. The church is built on neo-classical lines based on a style that first appeared in the 18th century. It is constructed on the traditional Latin cross format and a roof of barrel vaults with lunettes in the central nave and side chapels. Reinforced piers support the weight and the choir loft is above the main entrance. The church bells were repositioned at the entrance of the Ayuntamiento, apart from one which was hung in the Levante tower and
connected with a cable so that it could be sounded in the case of a disaster or bombardment as there were still fears that Spain would be dragged into the conflict of World War II. In 1941 the priest Don Francisco Martinez was replaced by Don José Asensio Campello, who was born in Santa Pola and loyally served the parishioners of Torrevieja for nineteen years from 1941 - 1960. Work began on replacing the retable and a master carpenter, Felix Carcaño Dolón was given the work based on photos of how it had been prior to the fire. During his work he employed at different times two youngsters to serve under him – 19year old Manuel Costa Molina and then 17-year old Antonio Costa. Felix set up a workshop inside the church building and built up a good relationship with the priest. One anecdote of this relationship was when the priest remonstrated that Felix should not wear his beret nor smoke inside the church to which he received the reply, “I will wear my beret and smoke in my workshop” which, of course, was within the church itself. Felix was a real handyman who also maintained the church clock, repaired shoes, could solder and was an electrician and worked with marble. In addition he played saxophone in the local Union Musical band and later went on to learn how to play the accordion, violin, guitar and bandurria. He was also a football fan and repaired the burst balls of the club.
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A new statue of la Inmaculada was commissioned to replace the one sculpted by D. José Puchol in 1791. The new statue of la Inmaculada, made by sculptor Sr. Ponsada in Valencia, arrived by sea on board the fishing vessel «Viceras» on 6th December 1940. It was lovingly received by the townspeople led by the Mayor D. Martín Zurbano. During this priest’s years he introduced many new improvements to the church including new benches (which are now in the San Roque parish of Torrevieja). The most expensive and difficult work was the raising of the roof that had been destroyed in the fire. A subscription was set up so that individuals could «Buy a tile» (operación loza de mármol) at around six or seven pesetas each and in this way the church was gradually retiled. Local fishermen pledged to donate 0.5% of their profits towards the rebuilding and restoration work. The five principal church doors were made and reinforced with zinc by local carpenter Francisco Manzanaro and other workmen. Between 1953 and 1954 a very young man, seventeen-year old Pepito Hernández Pamies, was contracted to paint forty laminas including the Guardian Angel, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, FELIX CARCAÑO DOLÓN The Flood, the Birth of Christ, the Crucifixion and many others that can still be seen in the church. An exhibition was held in the church on 22nd August 1954, showing the work of this young artist. Don José Asensio also contracted local artist D. José Hódar Talavera to paint four large oil paintings, which can still be seen inside the church. In 2004 the habaneras competition celebrated its 50th anniversary and the la Inmaculada church chimes were altered to ring the first notes of several habaneras songs every fifteen minutes. The habanera is one traditional aspect of Torrevieja’s lifestyle that draws together the past with the present. aormi@icloud.com
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The open-air Friday market, located in the streets around the main church, became a tourist attraction; although it was an important part of everyday life for the women who could buy fresh laid eggs, live rabbits, chickens, hens or ducks, mostly from women vendors from Cox. The market was relocated in the Avenida Habaneras in the early 1990’s for a few years, and then moved into spare ground nearby, land on which builders soon built apartment blocks aware of the possible buying market that flocked to Torrevieja on Friday mornings.
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Friday market used to be around the church. The Bigheads are a popular tradition during the patronal fiestas of la Inmaculada in Dcember.
The la Inmaculada Church of Torrevieja continued to be a focus for the local people. Don Patrocinio Villagordo Zapata served a long term of office from 1960 1975. The Asociación Hijos de la Inmaculada was begun in 1980 during the time of Don Ricardo Martínez who served as parish priest for 15 years until 1985. This association has played an important role in many of the alterations in the church and around the town, promoting religious issues, especially those dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The next parish priest in October 1985 was Don Fernando Rodríguez Trives, who officiated at the celebrations of the parish’s second Centenary in 1989. Part of these celebrations, which were held throughout the town, was the famous pilgrimage to La Mata, when parishioners of both sexes carried the statue of la Inmaculada all the way to the Holy Rosary Church of la Mata. The restoration of the main church façade in 1989 was carried out under the supervision of Emilio Gómez Jover, who was rather like the town’s surveyor, and when he retired he spent a lot of his time walking round the town and wrote a series of intimate journals about his memories. In 1990 Don José Antonio Moya Grau became priest in charge and during these years introduced momentous changes in the church, including new benches and the repainting of the inside of the church, converting it into one of the most beautiful buildings along the coast. Don Manuel Martínez Rocamora became the new parish priest on 6th February 2000. This year was a Jubilee Year in the life of the Catholic Church and aormi@icloud.com
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The main plaza is the plan de la Constitution, which has had various names over the years depending on political movements. At one time the public library (above) was located here and underneath the plaza was one of the refuges during the Spanish civil war 1936/39.
as part of the celebrations four new bells were installed in the Levante tower that was built in 1907. They are named after four popular habaneras songs - El abanico (the fan) (540 kilos), La Bella Lola (325 kilos); El negro (200 kilos); the Aùoransa(homesickness) (170 kilos). They play the notes la, ray, mi, soh. Three of the older bells in the clock tower were removed as they were past their sell-by date, but the other three have been renovated and reinstalled in the tower. Work began in 2015 to reinforce the choir loft in anticipation of a new organ. The organ is intended to be a focal point for the town’s culture, as it is not only for church services but also for organ recital concerts.
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Church visit around the inside of the Immaculate Conception church. Every day many people visit the principal church in Torrevieja and wander around the various images and altars. This is an attempt to make that visit a bit more interesting.
The facade of the c h u r c h incorporates some stones from the original tower of Torrevieja that was located in the far corner of the plaza Miguel Hernandez. Above the main door is an alcove with a statue dedicated to the Sacred heart of Jesus. To the left is an image of Spain’s patron saint the Virgen de Pilar and on the other side another image of Mary. There is an entrance with noticeboard of services etc. with large swing doors either side. If we start our visit to the left and go round the various side altars. However first we will have a look at the main altar. The present main altar was installed under the direction of the parish priest D. Jose Asensio Campello, and terminated on December 8, 1956. It is a faithful copy of the previous altarpiece that was destroyed in the deliberate fire of the church in 1936. aormi@icloud.com
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The altarpiece was by the master carpenter Felix Carcaño, helped by the another carpenter Manuel Costa Molina and later by the apprentice Antonio Costa Imbernón. This was in a carpentry workshop installed in the church. The ornamentation of altarpiece and gilding with gold was the work of the brothers Rodríguez of Elche and marble from Novelda. The Camarin in the centre of the retable supports the image of the Virgen Mary, the work of Valencian sculptor Jose Maria Ponsada Bravo, another exact copy of the previous one by Venancio Marco, inaugurated on December 8 in 1928 and also destroyed in the fire of the church on March 3, 1936. Obviously the Immaculate Conception takes centre place with the image of Mary surrounded by angels and cherubim.Cherubim hold the coat of arms of Torrevieja and others during fiestas an image of a salt boat or flower. Included in this retable we have images of Saint Joseph as foster father with the child Jesus at the very top, then Saint Joaquín and Saint Ana the parents of Mary. Saint Joseph statue was donated by Dña. Manuela Talavera of Viceras. The Saint Joaquín's image was the work of the Blanco brothers and was donated by the granddaughters of Dña. Joaquina Joaquina García Gimeno, a widow of Salinas. The last image to be installed was that of Saint Ana paid for through public donations in a fund set up by the priest D. Jose Asensio Campello. The whole set of the main altar was inaugurated completely on December 8th, 1957. aormi@icloud.com
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Look up at the ceiling in the arches where there are several painted symbols relating to aspects of devotions. Around the side are stained glass windows that bear symbols of titles addressed to the Virgen Mary such as Star of the Sea. The angels at the feet of Mary above the main altar carry the coat of arms of Torrevieja.
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Now as we start our tour to the left of the main doors we have an altar dedicated to Our
Lady of Succour.
Perpetual
The altar of Our Lady of the Perpetual Succour has a painting of the image that is the work of the Blanco brothers. It was blessed and inaugurated 4th August, 1955. She is the patron saint of doctors and each year on her feast local doctors gather together for a celebration. The icon has been in Rome since 1499, and is permanently enshrined in the church of Sant'Alfonso di Liguori, where the official Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help text is prayed weekly. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, this artistic iconography is known as the Virgin of the Passion or Theotokos of the Passion due to the instruments of the Passion present on the image. The original wooden icon, suspended on the altar, measures 17" Ă— 21" inches and is written on hard nut wood with a gold leaf background. The image depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary wearing a dress of dark red, representing the Passion of Jesus, with a blue mantle, representing her perpetual virginity, and cloaked veil, which represents her pure modesty. The icon shows Mary looking towards the faithful, while pointing at her son, Jesus Christ who is frightened by the instruments of crucifixion and is depicted with a fallen sandal. On the left side is Saint Michael, carrying the lance and sponge of the crucifixion of Jesus. On the right is Saint Gabriel carrying nails and a 3-bar cross (used by Popes at the time). The Virgin Mary has a star on her forehead, signifying her role as Star of the Sea while the cross on the side has been claimed as referring to the school, aormi@icloud.com
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which produced the icon. The Byzantine depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in art have three stars, one star each on the shoulder and one on the forehead. This type of icon is called Hodegetria, where Mary is pointing to her Son, known as a Theotokos of the Passion. Mary's long slender nose, thin lips, and smoothly arched eyebrows also show that a Greek artist wrote the Icon. The halo and the crown in the picture were added later. In those days, a halo was not commonly painted around the head. Instead, as in this Icon of Mary, the veil and her face itself were rounded, practically circular, to indicate her holiness. The size of the mother seems out of proportion to her son; this is deliberate. The artist wished to emphasize Mary in this story, so he painted her larger than life. There is a copy of this icon in the chapel of the Torrevieja University Hospital.
Then we have Saint Anthony holding the child Jesus in his arms. Note in these altars thing like the marble pillars or the gold ornamentation, or sometimes a motto or quotation. Saint Anthony was in place by June 13, 1954, under the patronage of D単a. Pilar Gonzalez Pacheco plus general donations for the altar itself. St. Anthony wears a brown Franciscan habit and at the moment is in favour because the Pope Francis has used his name and lifestyle as an image for protecting the animal kingdom and the environment. aormi@icloud.com
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The altar of the Child Jesus of Prague was inaugurated on May 25, 1955 when there was a revival in devotion to Jesus under this aegis. The Infant Jesus of Prague (Spanish: Niño Jesús de Praga) is a 16th-century Roman Catholic wax-coated wooden statue of child Jesus holding a globus cruciger, located in the Carmelite Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana, Prague, Czech Republic. Pious legends state that the statue once belonged to Saint Teresa of Avila. Historical sources point to a small 19 inch (48 cm) high sculpture of the Holy Child with a bird in his right hand presently located in the Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria de la Valbonna in Asturias, Spain which was carved around the year 1340. The sculptures of the Holy Child were dressed in imperial regalia reflecting the aristocratic fashion of that period. The Habsburg Royal family took over rule of the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1526; the kingdom developed close ties with Spain. The statue first appeared in 1556, when Maria Manriquez de Lara y Mendoza brought the image to Bohemia upon her marriage to Czech nobleman Vratislav of Pernstyn. An old legend in the Lobkowicz family reports that María's mother, Dona Isabella, had been given the statue by Saint Teresa of Avila herself. The statue was placed in the oratory of the monastery of Our Lady of Victory, Prague, where special devotions to Jesus were offered before it twice a day. In 1630, the Carmelite novitiate was transferred to Munich. on November 15, 1631, the army of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden took possession of Bohemia's capital city. The Carmelite friary was plundered and the image of the Infant of Prague was thrown into a pile of rubbish behind the altar. Here it lay forgotten, its hands broken off, for seven years, until it was found again in 1637 by Father Cyrillus and placed in the church's oratory. The right hand of the statue is raised in a gesture of blessing, with two fingers raised symbolizing the two natures of Jesus Christ and the three folded fingers represent the Holy Trinity. The left hand holds an imperial orb surmounted by a cross, signifying sovereignty. The image is clothed in a long robe below which his bare feet can be seen. In the past, the statue was decorated with small jewels, presented as gifts.
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The doorway at this side is now the sacristy with a painting above the door of the Holy Family - Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Formerly the sacristy was on the left hand side of the main altar with another room on the other side.
Our Lady of Fatima is another title of the Blessed Virgin Mary based on apparitions reported to be experienced by three shepherd children at Fátima. The three children were Lúcia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto. They were young and without much education when they reported the apparition of Our Lady of Fátima on 13th May 1917. The local administrator initially jailed the children and threatened that he would boil them one by one in a pot of oil. The children were consoled by the other inmates in the jail, and then led the inmates in praying the Rosary. The vision said that she was sent by God with a message of prayer, repentance and consecrations. She visited the children on the 13th day of each month from May to October. The last apparition occurred on 13 October 1917; the 70,000 pilgrims in attendance, including journalists and doctors, witnessed the "Miracle of the Sun”. A prediction she made was that there would be a second world war. According to Lúcia, the Virgin Mary promised that the Consecration of Russia would lead to Russia's conversion and an era of peace and for decades prayers were said at the end of every Mass for this intention.
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Altar of Saint Barbara. The image of Saint Barbara, patron saint of the miners was acquired by the salineros when the salt mines were classified as titled as a surface mine. At one time the slat workers carried this image in procession through the streets but as less and less men were employed it fell into disuse. However, the saint is still celebrated by the large community from Asturias that live in Torrevieja. Saint Barbara is their patron saint as well as Asturias has a large mining community. Barbara, was an early Christian saint and martyr. Accounts place her in the 3rd century in Nicomedia, present-site Turkey or in Heliopolis of Phoenicia, present-day Lebanon. Although best known as the patron saint associated with armourers, artillerymen, military engineers, and others who work with explosives because of the legendary association with lightning, and also of mathematicians.
T h e principal castle in Alicante city is dedicated to Santa Barbara as it was on her feast, December 4th, when the castle was reconquered. aormi@icloud.com
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We are now able to look up and see the c h a n d l e r s , nicknamed Ara単a because they look like a big spider. On the ceilings are several small paintings, symbols relating to the church. These were painted when the main body of the church was painted from playing white into a nice cream color and several outstanding elements gilded of contrast. Looking back we can see the organ loft and on the back wall a stained glass window of the I m m a c u l a t e Conception.
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St Gemma Galgani "The Gem of Christ" 1878-1903 Saint of the Passion of Jesus Maria Gemma Umberta Pia Galgani (March 12, 1878 – April 11, 1903) was an Italian mystic, who has been venerated as a saint since 1940.[She has been called the "Daughter of Passion" because of her profound imitation of the Passion of Christ. As a teenager the Passionists refused her entry to the order to become a nun because of her poor health and her visions. At age 20, Gemma developed spinal meningitis, but was healed, attributing her extraordinary cure to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the intercession of Venerable Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (later canonized a saint), and Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque. Gemma was orphaned shortly after she turned 18, making her responsible for the upbringing of her younger siblings, which she did with her aunt Carolina. She declined two marriage proposals and became a housekeeper with the Giannini family. Gemma began to display signs of the stigmata on June 8, 1899, at the age of twenty-one. In early 1903, Gemma was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and thus began a long and often painful death. There were numerous extraordinary mystical phenomena that occurred during her final illness. One of the religious nursing sisters who attended to her stated, "We have cared for a good many sick people, but we have never seen anything like this." At the beginning of Holy Week 1903, her health quickly deteriorated, and by Good Friday she was suffering tremendously. Gemma died in a small room across from the Giannini house on April 11, 1903—Holy Saturday. After a thorough examination of her life by the Church, she was beatified on May 14, 1933 and canonized on May 2, 1940. Gemma Galgani's relics are housed at the Passionist monastery in Lucca, Italy.
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This wing of the church is dominated by a huge crucifix of Christ which is taken down and carried in some processions such as the Way of the Corss (Via Cruces ) CRUCIFIED CRUCIFIX Christ Crucificado's image, which is venerated in the altar of the church placed to the bottom of the cruise of the left side is A D. Manuel Hurtado Garre's work. The Confraternity was founded on May 1, 1954, The first president D. Antono Neck Leรณn, chief of the exploitation of the New Company Lessee of Torrevieja and vice-president of the Confraternity D. Tomรกs Valcรกrcel Deza. In 2015 work was carried out improving this area with marble and repainting.
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THE SACRED HEART of JESUS - the main altar in this wing of the church. Again the work of the Blanco brothers it was inaugurated on August 21, 1958 at cost of 29.000 pesetas. D. Filiberto Aguirre Calero, and his brother D. Jose Aguirre and wife D単a Teresa Galiana Perez donated the image. This devotion emphasizes the love that Jesus has for all men as he is depicted with a burning heart. The devotion to the Sacred Heart is one of the most widely practiced and well-known Roman Catholic devotions, taking Jesus Christ's physical heart as the representation of His divine love for humanity. The origin of this devotion in its modern form is derived from a Roman Catholic nun from France, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, who said she learned the devotion from Jesus during a series of apparitions to her between 1673 and 1675. Later, in the 19th century, mystical revelations of another Roman Catholic nun in Portugal, Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart Droste zu Vischering, a religious of the Good Shepherd, who requested, in the name of Christ that Pope Leo XIII consecrate the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Predecessors to the modern devotion arose unmistakably in the Middle Ages in various facets of Catholic mysticism.
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Margaret Mary Alacoque had a vision bidding her consult her confessor Father Claude de la Colombière, then superior of the small Jesuit house at Paray. Largely through his efforts the devotion spread through France and gradually throughout the World. On this altar there are images of both Margaret Mary and Claude de la Colombière either side of the figure of Jesus. The feast is celebrated in June (a Friday, 19 days after Pentecost) and there is another parish in Torrevieja dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which holds a week-long fiesta in honour of their patron in June.
In this area there is also a statue of the Immaculate Conception as Our Lady of Lourdes. This is probably the best known icon of Mary because of the pilgrimages all year round to the town in France. The feast day is 11th February and there is an association dedicated to Mary under this title that organizes pilgrimages at least twice a year as well as torch like processions round the town centre. Mary Bernard was born in Lourdes, France, on January 7, 1844, the daughter of Francis and Louise Soubirous. Bernadette, a severe asthma sufferer, lived in abject poverty. On February 11, 1858, she was granted a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a cave on the banks of the Gave River near Lourdes. She was placed in considerable jeopardy when she reported the vision, and crowds gathered when she had further visits from the Virgin, from February 18 of that year through March 4.The anticlerical civil authorities tried to frighten Bernadette into recanting her accounts, but she remained faithful to the aormi@icloud.com
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A plaque either side of the main altar has images of two popes on the right Pope John XXIII and on the left Pope Pius X
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There are several paintings around the church. The ones on this page illustrate parts of the life of Jesus -the curing of a man in Peter’s house, washing of the feet by M. Magdalene, appointment of Peter as leader of Apostles and the parable of the repentant son who has spent his fortune but accepted by a loving and forgiving father.
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vision. On February 25, a spring emerged from the cave and the waters were discovered to be of a miraculous nature, capable of healing the sick and lame. On March 25, Bernadette announced that the vision stated that she was the Immaculate Conception, and that a church should be erected on the site. Lourdes became one of the major pilgrimage destinations in the world, and the spring has produced 27,000 gallons of water each week since emerging during Bernadette's visions. She was not involved in the building of the shrine, as she remained hidden at Nevers. Bernadette was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI. There is no statue of Bernadette in the church.
On the right side of the main altar is another wing of the church, which is designed in the shape of a cross with the high altar at the top. Two paintings that draw the eye are the triptych story of Mary, mother of Jesus, mother of men, as depicted in the story of Adam and Eve; and in the centre the appearance of angel Gabriel telling her that she is blessed among women and will carry the savior. The bottom part of this triptych is the continuing presence of Mary throughout modern history, in this instance appearing at Lourdes. Almost alongside is a painting of the Immaculate Conception protecting the town of Torrevieja as seen from the heavens and carries the date It is a good indication of how the small town of Torrevieja was before the construction boom of the 1970’s altered it forever. This is one of many paintings by A. Conesa.
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The first altar on this wing is The Nazarene: This figure represents when Jesus was in front of Pontius Pilate who said, “Behold the Nazareneâ€? pointing to a bruised and battered Jesus after his whipping. It was inaugurated in 1953 as the altar of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno; the image is the work of the sculptor Murciano D. Jose Sanchez Lozano, property of the inheritors of D. Jose Perez Canales estate. The image originally cost 11.000 pesetas and the crown of silver 3.000 pesetas. The image was donated by the family Gallud MĂnguez, On the altar front are the letters IHS that has its own story. It is a
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The Virgen of Mount Carmel is patroness of the Spanish Navy and all seamen. The feast is 16th July and here she is flanked by two Carmelite saints St. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross
christogram or monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus. derived from the Greek word for Jesus ΙΗΣΟΥΣ (and sometimes erroneously interpretedas Iesus Hominum Salvator, Jesus saviour of mankind), representing the Holy Name. The feast day is celebrated either as the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus or as that of Circumcision of Jesus, in various Christian churches on the second Sunday after the Epiphany or around 14th January. The large side altar to the right of the main altar is dedicated to the Virgen of Mount Carmel or the VIRGIN OF THE CARMÉN. The altar was made in 1960 and the image again the work of the Blanco brothers. The altar was the work of the cabinet-maker Francisco Gonzalez "Rate". The main statue is flanked by two others, famous members of the Carmelite Order - St. John of the Cross - and St. Teresa of Avila. The Virgen del Carmen (Carmel) is patron saint of the Spanish Navy and sailors and fishermen. Her fiesta is an important one along the Mediterranean coast on 16 July and most towns will hold a procession on land and sea as the image is placed on a boat. Torrevieja has a week of fiesta organised by the fishermen. One of the fishing boats carries the aormi@icloud.com
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image around the harbour after it has been carried in procession from the main church. There are two other images on this altar - botth Carmelites; St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of AvilaJohn was born at Fontiveros in Spain about 1542. He entered the a Carmelites and with the permission of his superiors began to live a stricter life. Later he was persuaded by St. Teresa to begin, together with some others, the Discalced reform within the Carmelite friars; this cost him much hard work and many trials. He died in Ubeda in 1591. Saint Teresa of Jesus (Teresa of Avila), Virgin and Doctor of the Church the only woman with this title. A mystic, she wrote books which are renowned for their depth of doctrine and which showed her own spiritual experiences. She died at Alba in 1582.
The Virgen del Pilar is a small statue that represents the Virgin Mary under this title, which is as the patron saint of Spain and a feast held on 12th October. She is also the patron saint for the Guardia Civil.
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SAN PANCRACIO was inaugurated on May 12, 1956 with the image sculpted by the brothers Rafael and Fulgencio Blanco. This is a popular saint noted as the patron saint for businesses and his image is in most shops with a 25 peseta coin on his finger as this former coinage had a hole in it.
Dead Jesus or Cristo Yacente: This is a popular figure that is carried in the Holy Week processions. This side altar was inaugurated in 1954, with the image acquired by initiative of the town hall and crafted by the Blanco brothers. The actual altar was a work of the cabinetmaker Torrevejense Francisco Gonzalez "Rate". Above is a plain wooden cross draped with a shroud indicating that Christ has just been taken down from it.
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The final image near the left hand door is the Virgen of Consolation. This image is from the famous Salzillo School in Murcia. A painting of this, by English artist Maurice Murrel Thacker, is in the SS Peter & Paul church in Torretas. The cult of Our Lady of Luxembourg, Comforter of the Afflicted, was launched by the Jesuits in 1624 and led to the election of Our Lady as the protectress of the Luxembourg in 1666 and of the Duchy in 1678, reflected a developing religious nationalism. Since then this devotion is popular throughout the Catholic Church for those seeking consolation.
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There is also a side chapel for those who pop into the church for a prayer or a space of silence. Here the Blessed Sacrament is kept in the tabernacle. The figure of Christ above the altar is a in the shape of the crucifixion, but is the Resurrected Christ with extended arms welcoming all and no cross. There is an excellent stained glass window in this chapel with a central chalice and host image and the letters IHS representing Jesus on one side, and on the other side the letters MM for Mother Mary.
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Thanks to Francisco Rebollo Ortega and Javier Torregrosa for information and photos
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