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 is a beautiful Roman Catholic church. You can find it in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna in the Canary Islands, Spain. This church is very similar to the Church of the Conception in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It was the very first church parish ever started on the island of Tenerife.

A Look Back in Time
What Makes This Church Special?
- Inside the Church
- The Statue Outside
Gallery
See also

A Look Back in Time

The spot where the church stands was chosen way back in 1496. This happened after a special celebration called Corpus Christi. A leader named Alonso Fernández de Lugo helped establish the site. The Church of the Conception was officially founded in 1511.

What Makes This Church Special?

Today, visitors can climb the church's tall tower. From the top, you can see a lot of the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna. This tower also holds the largest bell in all the Canary Islands.

The Church of the Conception is very important. In 1948, it was named a National Historic Monument. This means it is a special place with a lot of history and cultural value.

Inside the Church

Inside the church, there is a special item called the miraculous oil of St. John the Evangelist. People believe this oil did something amazing in 1648. During a time when many people were sick with the Black Death, the oil seemed to sweat. After this event, the sickness disappeared from the island.

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

The Statue Outside

Right outside the church, near the entrance, you will see a statue. This statue honors Pope John Paul II. A Polish artist named Czeslaw Dzwigaj created it. The statue shows the Pope blessing two children who are wearing traditional clothes from the Canary Islands.

This statue traveled all the way from Poland. It was blessed by important religious leaders. These included the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez Afonso, and the archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Santos Abril y Castelló.