Iglesia de la Concepción (San Cristóbal de La Laguna) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of the Immaculate Conception
Tower of the church
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna
Province	Archdiocese of Seville
Location
Location	San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain.
Architecture
Architectural type	church
Architectural style	Colonial of the Canary Islands
Completed	1511
Direction of façade	East

The Church of the Immaculate Conception (its full name is Iglesia-Parroquia Matriz de Nuestra Señora de La Concepción) is a Roman Catholic church. You can find it in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna in the Canary Islands, Spain. This church looks a lot like the Church of the Conception in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It was the very first church parish to be set up on the island of Tenerife.

About the Church
Images for kids
See also

About the Church

History and Founding

The spot where the church stands was chosen by a conqueror named Alonso Fernández de Lugo. This happened after a special celebration called Corpus Christi in 1496. The Church of the Conception itself was officially founded in 1511. It has been an important place for people in Tenerife for a very long time.

What You Can See Today

Today, if you visit the church, you can climb its tall tower. From the top, you get an amazing view of much of the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna. This church is also home to the largest bell in all of the Canary Islands.

The Church of the Conception is considered a very important cultural site. In 1948, it was officially named a National Historic Monument. This means it's a special building that needs to be protected because of its history and beauty.

Special Stories and Features

Inside the church, there is a special oil linked to St. John the Evangelist. A story says that in 1648, during a time when many people were sick with the Black Death, this oil seemed to miraculously "sweat." After this event, the illness disappeared from the island.

The Church of the Conception is also home to many groups called brotherhoods. One of these is the Pontificia, Imperial, Real y Venerable Hermandad de la Purísima Concepción. In 1757, this group became connected to a similar brotherhood at the Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls in Rome.

The Statue Outside

Right outside the church, near the main entrance, there is a statue honoring Pope John Paul II. This statue was made by a Polish sculptor named Czeslaw Dzwigaj. It shows the Pope giving a blessing to two children dressed in traditional clothes from the Canary Islands. The statue was brought all the way from Poland. It was blessed by important religious leaders, including the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez Afonso, and the archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Santos Abril y Castelló.