The Illustrious Penitential Brotherhood of Our Lady of Anguish ( es, Ilustre Cofradía Penitencial de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias) is a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

fraternity established in

Valladolid Valladolid () is a municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. It has a population around 300,000 peop ...

, Castile and León,

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

in 1536.

Mission

The brotherhood of the Virgin of Anguish has the mission of promoting the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mainly through the celebration of several

Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...

processions in the city. The members of the brotherhood celebrate several masses as well, following the Estatutos o constitutions of the own association and the liturgic calendar of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Any baptized Catholic individual can become a member; however, family tradition is very important to belong to the Anguish.

History

The earliest document preserved that proves the antiquity of the Brotherhood dates from 1569. In this document there are references to a papal bull from Pope Paulus III given in 1536. Historically, the brotherhood has claimed older origins, linked with queen Isabella I of Castile, without documental prove. The image of the Virgin of the Anguish by artist

Juan de Juni Juan de Juni (Fr. Jean de Joigny; c. 1507–1577) was a French–Spanish sculptor, who also worked as a painter and architect. Career Juan de Juni was born in Joigny, France, but began working in Italy, where he was first employed. In 1533 ...

was carved in 1561 and became the main piece of devotion of the brothers and eventually of the entire city. The brotherhood first built a chapel in the location of actual Torrecilla street. By 1613 the brothers decided to build a new church since the original chapel was almost ruined. Since its construction to the present day, the Church of the Anguish has been the headquarters of the brotherhood. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Anguish run a hospital according to its foundational mission: assist the needy. In the 17th century Valladolid experienced a brilliant artistic period. The Catholic church and the Penitent brotherhoods commissioned important art works for the churches and penance processions. The Anguish Brotherhood commissioned pasos to artist such as

Francisco del Rincón Francisco del Rincón, OM (29 January 1650 – 28 June 1723) was a Spanish-born Minim friar and prelate of the Catholic Church in the New World, in what is now the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia. From 1705 to 1714, Rincón was Arch ...

and

Gregorio Fernández Gregorio Fernández (April 1576 – 22 January 1636) was a Spanish Baroque sculptor. He belongs to the Castilian school of sculpture, following the style of other great artists like Alonso Berruguete, Juan de Juni, Pompeyo Leoni, and Juan de Ar ...

. The 19th century was a period of decadence in the celebration of Holy Week in Valladolid. Many pasos were abandoned and the parades lost its former splendour. The Anguish brotherhood experience the same process but the devotion for the image of

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

remained as an important local devotion. Archbishop Remigio Gandaségui restored the processions in Valladolid in 1920 collaboration with the National Museum of Sculpture where most of the pasos had been preserved. The 3 October 2009, the image of the virgin of Anguish was canonically crowned by archbishop Braulio Plaza

Pasos

* Virgin of Anguish,

, 1561 * Crucified Jesús,

, before 1618. Known as "Cristo de los Carboneros" * The Descent from the Cross,

, 1615 - 1617 * Laying Jesús, anon. 17th century * Holy Sepulchre, Gregorio Fernández and José de Rozas * Virgin of Encarnation, anon. 16th century

Processions

Encuentro de la Virgen con su hijo en la calle de la Amargura

* Tuesday of Holy Week: Our Lady of Anguish participates in the Procession of the Meeting (Spanish: Procesión del Encuentro) * Good Friday, at 1am the brotherhood walks to the Cathedral of Valladolid with all its pasos in its main procession (Spanish: Procesión de Regla). * Good Friday: the paso of the Virgin takes part in the General Procession of the Sacred Passion of the Redeemer(Spanish: Procesión General de la Sagrada Pasión del Redentor) * Saturday of Holy Week, women of Valladolid escort our lady in the Procession of Loneliness (Spanish: Procesión de La Soledad)

Bibliography

* Burrieza Sánchez, Javier. (Universidad de Valladolid). Cinco siglos de cofradías y procesiones Historia de la Semana Santa en Valladolid. Ayuntamiento de Valladolid.

References

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