Sanctuary of St. Paschal Baylon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sanctuary of St. Paschal Baylon |
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| 39°56′23″N 0°05′52″W / 39.9397°N 0.097683°W | |
| Location | Villareal |
| Country | Spain |
| History | |
| Cult(s) present | Latin Church and Catholicism |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Baroque architecture |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Segorbe-Castellón |
The Sanctuary of St. Paschal Baylon (Valencian: de Sant Pasqual), often called El Sant, is a famous religious site in Villarreal, Spain. This large complex has a special church known as the "International Eucharistic Votive Temple". Pope John Paul II even called it a minor basilica. The sanctuary also includes the Royal Chapel, where Saint Paschal Baylon is buried, a museum called the Pouet del Sant, and a quiet convent for the Poor Clare Mothers.
The convent started in the 1500s. It became very important and a popular place for pilgrimage because Saint Paschal Baylon lived, died, and was buried there. The Royal Chapel, built in the 1600s for the saint's remains, was considered a top example of Valencian Baroque style. Sadly, the old convent church and the Baroque chapel were destroyed by fire in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. The new church is still being finished, but it is open for services. The new Royal Chapel was opened in 1992 by King Juan Carlos I of Spain.
The monastery has been restored, keeping important parts like the cloister (a covered walkway), the stairs, the De Profundis room, and the refectory (dining hall). In the refectory, you can still see the seat where Saint Paschal sat. The two bell towers hold a carillon with 72 bells and a set of 12 swinging bells. One of these is the largest swinging bell in the world!
Contents
History of the Sanctuary
The story of the sanctuary began in the 1500s. In 1575, Pope Gregory XIII gave permission to the Franciscan Order to build a new convent in the Kingdom of Valencia. At first, the friars settled near the Mijares River. But later, the town of Villarreal allowed them to use a small hermitage (a small chapel) on the edge of town. This hermitage was on the road to Castellón, now called "Arrabal de San Pascual" because of the convent.
The chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. It was built in 1571 to celebrate a Christian victory in the Battle of Lepanto. In 1578, the Franciscan friars moved into the chapel. They expanded it and built the new convent, keeping the chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary. They built it simply, following their order's rules. You can still see this simple style in the cloister and other parts.
This monastery became famous because of a Franciscan friar named Saint Paschal Baylón. He visited the monastery in 1587 and then lived in Villarreal from 1589 until he died in 1592. That same year, a well with healing waters, known as the Pouet del Sant, was dug in the cloister. After he died, the friars buried him in the church. People believed he was a saint, so they came to honor his remains. Philip II of Spain and his son Philip III supported the process to make him a saint. In 1599, Philip III and his wife Margaret of Austria visited the sanctuary to see Saint Paschal's tomb.
In 1706, during the War of the Spanish Succession, soldiers attacked Villarreal. They burned the convent's records and damaged parts of the building. Because of this damage, the convent was renovated in 1721, and a second cloister was built. In 1791, for the 100th anniversary of Saint Paschal becoming a saint, big celebrations were held.
In the 1800s, during the Napoleonic invasion, the friars hid the saint's body. It was returned in 1812. In 1835, the religious community had to leave the convent because the government took over church properties. But in 1836, Franciscan nuns from Castellón moved in. In 1899, many people made a national pilgrimage to the saint's tomb. In 1908, the Holy See (the Pope's main office) confirmed the nuns' right to the Royal Chapel and the saint's tomb.
On August 13, 1936, at the start of the Spanish Civil War, the sanctuary was damaged and burned by a group from outside the city. After the war, on May 17, 1942, the first stone of the new church was laid. The old one was completely destroyed. The new building project started thanks to donations from people. Construction began in 1949. In May 1971, the first part was finished. The altar was blessed on May 23. During this time, the saint's remains left the sanctuary for a short while in 1960. They went to Munich, Germany, for a special meeting. In 1974, the new church was opened for services.
At the end of the 1900s, work on the new church sped up. For the 400th anniversary of Saint Paschal's death in 1991 and his sainthood in 1992, the main front of the church and the two bell towers were completed. A sculpture by José Ortells was placed on the main altar. The new Royal Chapel, which holds the saint's remains, was also built. It was designed by Vicente Lloréns Poy. On March 25, 1996, Pope John Paul II made the church a minor basilica. He also named Saint Paschal Baylon the "Universal Patron of Eucharistic Worship." In 1997, a national meeting about the Eucharist was held there.
The Temple (Church)
Former Convent Church
When the Franciscan friars moved into the Rosary hermitage in 1578, they built a church for their convent. This church was burned down in August 1936 during the Civil War, so it no longer exists. The new "International Eucharistic Votive Temple" was built on its ruins.
The old church had one main area with a curved ceiling. It had four sections. Near the main door was a choir area. The church had Corinthian pillars and small chapels on the sides. These chapels were dedicated to different saints like St. Anthony of Padua and St. John the Baptist. The main altar was dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary.
Contemporary Church
The main altar area of the new church has a silver monstrance (a container for the Eucharist). It is held up by two golden carved angels made by sculptor José Ortells in 1952. These angels used to hold the saint's remains. A small chapel next to the entrance holds a statue of St. Peter of Alcántara by Ignacio Vergara, which was saved from the 1936 fire. Some old art and historical items from the 1500s to 1900s, also saved from the fire, are shown in the museum room of the Pouet del Sant (Well of the Saint). This museum is on the first floor of the Royal Chapel.
The Royal Chapel
In 1674, when Pope Clement X started the process to make Paschal Baylón a saint, the town of Villarreal and the Franciscans decided to build a new chapel next to the church. This chapel would hold the friar's remains in a special container. The new chapel was finished in six years. There was a disagreement between the town and the Franciscans about whose symbol should be placed in the best spot on the chapel's altar. They solved it by agreeing to offer the chapel's protection to King Charles II of Spain.
The King accepted and ordered his own symbol to be placed in a special spot in 1681. Just nine days later, Saint Paschal's body was moved to its new tomb in a special ceremony.
Baroque Chapel (Old Chapel)
The old Baroque chapel was a beautiful work of art from the Valencian Baroque period. Its walls were decorated with special paintings and ceramic tiles. There were eight paintings by Domingo Saura showing different miracles of Saint Paschal. The most important part was the golden wooden altar with a glass container holding the saint's body, which was said not to decay.
Like the convent church, the Royal Chapel was burned in August 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. After the fire, some faithful people saved the saint's relics (remains). They were kept safe until 1952. Then, a special area was set up in the saint's old cell in the convent. His remains were placed in a silver container, held by a sculpture by José Ortells. This sculpture was later used to display the Blessed Sacrament on the main altar of the new church.
Contemporary Chapel (New Chapel)
On May 17, 1992, the new Royal Chapel was opened. It was sculpted by Vicente Lloréns Poy. The saint's remains were placed in a new silver tomb that looks like Saint Paschal lying down. This tomb is a statue made from 300 kg of silver. It sits on a granite base with two steps, allowing people to get closer. The sculpture was inspired by the saint's body before the 1936 fire. It is located in front of the saint's old cell, where you can see a handwritten letter by Saint Paschal himself.
Above the cell is a 14-meter-high altar screen with fifty figures covered in fine gold. The center of the altar screen shows Saint Paschal being honored, with symbols of the Eucharist. Below it is a scene of Saint Paschal's death. On each side are the symbols of King Charles II of Spain, who first protected the chapel, and King Juan Carlos I of Spain, who opened the new chapel. These symbols show the Royal Protection.
At the top of the central arch of the altar screen is an image of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Grace, the town's patron saint. The other four panels of the arch show the twelve apostles. The right side of the altar screen has figures of St. Robert Bellarmine and Popes Alexander VIII and Leo XIII. The top panel on this side shows St. Vincent Ferrer, St. John the Baptist, and St. Elizabeth of Portugal. On the left side are St. Juan de Ribera, Blessed Nicolás Factor, and Andrés Hibernón, who was Saint Paschal's friend. The top panel on this side shows St. Clare of Assisi, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Peter of Alcántara.
The Royal Chapel also has a golden bronze sculpture about the Eucharist near the tomb. On the sides, there are six curved panels showing moments from Saint Paschal's life. At the entrance, you can see scenes like "The young shepherd Paschal receives the Franciscan robe" and "Saint Paschal, writer and teacher." In the front curved area, there are scenes like "Saint Paschal showing kindness" and "The funeral of the Saint."
The chapel uses local stone and Roman travertine (a type of limestone). These match the granite floor and the golden metal decorations.
Carillon and Bells
On May 17, 1998, the carillon and the set of swinging bells in the basilica's two bell towers were officially opened. Cardinal Antonio María Javierre blessed the 84 bells. Both the carillon and the swinging bells were given to the basilica and the people of Villarreal by local businessman José Gómez Mata. The bells were designed and installed by a Belgian company and made by a Dutch company. The set of 12 swinging bells was made by a French company. The bells in the twin towers are considered the largest musical instrument in the world because they have the most bells.
There are eight automated swinging bells, weighing about 6,000 kg in total. They are in the East Tower on two levels. Their religious names include Santísimo Sacramento, San Pascual, and Virgen de Gracia. The other four bells in this tower are fixed and rung by electric hammers. The largest swinging bell in the world is called Santísimo Sacramento. It weighs 2,000 kg and is 1.5 meters wide. The set of 12 bells is tuned for music and can be rung by hand.
The 72 bells of the carillon are in the West Tower. The biggest carillon bell weighs 2,200 kg, and the smallest weighs only 6 kg.
Visits to the Sanctuary
Royal Visits
Many kings and queens have visited the Sanctuary of St. Paschal. On May 17, 1992, King Juan Carlos I led the celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the saint's death. After attending a special church service, the King opened the new Royal Chapel and placed it under his protection. His family symbol is on the altar screen to show this. Cardinal Vicente Enrique y Tarancón blessed the chapel. King Juan Carlos I, with Queen Sofia, had also visited the sanctuary in 1976.
Before them, kings from the House of Hadsburg like Philip III (with his wife Margaret of Austria) and Philip IV (with Prince Balthasar Charles) had visited.
Kings and queens from the House of Bourbon also visited. In the 1700s, Charles III of Spain and his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony came. In 1802, Charles IV of Spain, his wife Maria Luisa of Parma, and their son Ferdinand visited. Ferdinand VII visited again in 1827. In 1845, Queen Isabella II of Spain, her mother Maria Cristina, and her sister Luisa Fernanda visited. Isabel II came again later with her son Alfonso. In 1912, Infanta Isabel (known as "La Chata") visited and gave a silver desk set as a gift. King Amadeo I of Spain visited in 1871, and Alfonso XIII in 1905.
Other Important Visits
On June 14, 1958, Francisco Franco, who was the head of state, visited the saint's tomb.
On May 3, 1993, Herman Schalück, the head of the Franciscan friars, visited the sanctuary. He blessed the sculptures on the Royal Chapel's altar screen. That same year, Mario Tagliaferri, the Pope's representative, visited. He took part in the traditional flower offering and bonfire lighting. He also led a special Mass on May 17, the saint's feast day, and opened a big international meeting about the Eucharist held in Seville.
See also
In Spanish: Santuario de San Pascual Baylón para niños
