Sanctuary of Urkiola facts for kids

The Urkiola Sanctuary, dedicated to Saint Anthony the Abbot and Saint Anthony of Padua.

The Sanctuary of Saint Anthony the Abbot and Saint Anthony of Padua of Urkiola is a special Catholic church. It is located in the beautiful Urkiola area, in the Basque Country, Spain. No one knows exactly how old it is, but some old papers suggest it might be from the 8th to 11th centuries. This makes it one of the oldest buildings in the region!

The sanctuary sits in the middle of the Urkiola Natural Park. It is on an old path that connected the coast to the central plateau of Spain. The area is full of nature, with tall limestone mountains in the background. The highest mountain, Anboto, is important in Basque mythology. People believe that Mari, a powerful goddess known as the "Lady of Anboto," lives there.

The church you see today is the third one built here. It has a neo-medieval style, which means it looks like old medieval buildings. Construction started in 1899 and it was officially opened in 1933, but it was never fully finished. The religious area includes the church, a small bell tower from 1870, the rectory (priest's house), an old hospital, and a hospice. There are also two small old chapels, the Santo Cristo and Santa Polonia, and a Stations of the Cross path built in 1943. A small cemetery is also nearby.

About the Sanctuary

A plaque inside the sanctuary from its opening in 1933.

The sanctuary is built right on a special dividing line. Water falling on one side of its roof flows towards the Mediterranean Sea. Water on the other side goes to the Cantabrian Sea!

Visitors often notice how big the unfinished church is compared to the small bell tower from the older building. A large staircase leads up to the church. The entrance is surrounded by the unfinished walls of what were meant to be tall towers and a porch.

The main part of the church, called the central nave, is now a garden. The small neoclassical bell tower stands in this garden. Among the plants, there is a small monument. It has an anchor, a traditional farming tool called a laia, and a stone turbine. These items represent the sea, farming, and industry of Biscay.

To the left of the entrance, there is a unique stone. Many people think it might be a meteorite. Single people are invited to walk around it seven times clockwise. It is believed this will help them find a partner! If you walk backward (counter-clockwise), people say it has the opposite effect.

The side parts of the church, called naves, are now aisles. They lead into the main worship area. The central nave has been closed off with a large wall to create this space for church services.

The church was designed in a neo-medieval style. Because it was not finished, the altar's position was changed. It was moved to lean against the big wall that closes the nave. The rectangular area behind the altar is now the choir. On its sides are the sacristy (where priests prepare) and a chapel for the Blessed Sacrament.

The back of the church, showing the choir area and organ.

In the late 1900s, some updates were done to finish parts of the building. These changes, both inside and out, were supported by a group of former missionaries. They took care of the sanctuary starting in May 1970.

Outside, the large entrance staircase was built. The top of the wall closing the main nave was also smoothed.

Inside, the walls behind the altar were decorated with beautiful mosaics. The main altar has a huge mosaic covering the wall. It also has a stained glass window with images of the two Saints Anthony. Another mosaic covers the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. A Stations of the Cross path was made on the floor of the nave. It even includes an extra station for the Resurrection. These mosaics and the Stations of the Cross were all made in a workshop right at the sanctuary.

Special Art and Statues

The sanctuary has had several fires over the years. But it still has some amazing art and statues.

• The statues of the main saints, Saint Anthony the Abbot and Saint Anthony of Padua, are from the 1600s. They are in a Rococo style, which is very decorative. They are about 1.10 meters tall.
• A carving of the Virgin Mary and child was given by the Diocesan Museum of Bilbao. It is a Renaissance-style carving showing Mary sitting with the child on her lap.
• A statue of Christ on the cross is also from the Renaissance period (1500s).
• Another carving of Saint Anthony the Abbot was from the earlier church. It used to be in a side altar. In 1690, it was moved to a special area called the "Cloister of the Pilgrims." Here, people left gifts to thank the saints for help.
• A bronze statue of Saint Peter is a smaller copy of the famous one in the Vatican City.

The main altar area, with a large mosaic made of over 850,000 pieces.

Mosaics

In the 1990s, the walls behind the altars were covered with mosaics. This was done for both the main altar and the chapel of the Holy Sacrament.

• Main Altar Mosaic: This huge mosaic was finished in 1996. It covers the big wall behind the main altar. It was designed by priest José María Muñoz and created by lay missionary Peli Romarategui. It is 170 square meters and has more than 850,000 tiny pieces! It took over two years to build. The mosaic shows a cross turning into a tree, going through the four seasons. It represents human life and the new life of Jesus' Resurrection.
• Chapel of the Santísimo Mosaic: This mosaic is smaller but made by the same artists. It frames the statue of Christ on the cross. It has a brown background with a Greek Cross shape. This shape looks like a mushroom cloud or volcano smoke, symbolizing unfairness and wars. On the sides are statues of the two Saints Anthony. Below the cross, it says in Basque: gora Jainkoa zeruetan, gora itsaso mendietan (meaning 'glory to God in the skies, glory to God in the seas and in the mountains').
• Other Mosaics: There is a mosaic in the chapel that frames the Virgin and child statue. Near the sacristy door, a simple mosaic lists the names of Basque saints.
• Stations of the Cross: A Stations of the Cross path was made on the floor of the main nave. It is made of large mosaic pieces. It is special because it has an extra station for the Resurrection.

Stained Glass Windows

Along with the mosaics, several stained glass windows were created. The main one is behind the High Altar and shows the two Saints Anthony.

• High Altar Stained Glass: This colorful window is at the bottom center of the wall behind the High Altar. It represents an exploding grenade, reminding people of the horrors of war, especially the Spanish Civil War. This window was made by Cañadas from Bilbao. At the top of the wall, another stained glass window shows a dove, symbolizing peace.
• Other Stained Glass Windows: Other windows were designed by José María Muñoz and made by Peli Romarategui in the sanctuary's workshop.

**Access Doors: One door has stained glass showing the outline of the sanctuary. Another shows hands holding a sprouting plant. **Nature Scenes: Near the sacristy, the chapel, and above the choir, there are stained glass windows showing local plants and trees. **Four Elements: On the side walls, there are four stained glass windows. They show symbols of the four classical elements: water, air, fire, and earth.

History of the Sanctuary

A close-up of the bell tower at Urkiola Sanctuary.

The Urkiola area has been important for people's beliefs since ancient times. Many old remains have been found nearby. The highest mountain, Anboto, is where Basque mythology says the goddess Mari lives.

When Christianity arrived, it did not completely replace the old beliefs. Instead, the old ideas often blended with the new faith. So, Urkiola has always been a very spiritual place. Even without clear old documents, people believe that worship here started before the Middle Ages.

The Sanctuary of Saints Anthony the Abbot and of Padua was built on a much older, simple chapel. This chapel was dedicated to Saint Anton. Records from around 1212 mention gifts for this chapel. In 1567, the area already had a house and a hospital along with the chapel. Since the 1200s, the sanctuary has been dedicated to both Saints Anthony.

In 1625, a new church began to be built to replace the old chapel. This church was opened in 1646. It had a cross shape, one main section, and a dome. This church was used for worship for 15 years. Later, a cloister (a covered walkway) was added, and the choir and sacristy were made bigger.

In 1756, the sanctuary became its own parish, separate from the main church in Abadiño.

Next to the church, a hospital was built for the many travelers using this important route. It even had a jail and an icehouse! In 1772, the rectory was built across from it.

During a difficult time in the 1800s, the church was closed. The statues of the saints were moved to another church for four years. When things got better, the church reopened. Many updates were made. The most important was building the bell tower in 1870. This tower, in a neoclassical style, was designed by Pedro José Astarbe.

A few years later, leaders decided to build a much grander church. Architect José María de Basterra started designing it in 1898. It was planned to be a huge church, 60 meters long and 30 meters wide, in a neo-medieval style. It would have a wide central section and two side aisles. The entrance would have two large towers, 40 meters tall, and a grand staircase.

On June 13, 1899, the first stone of the new building was laid. The old church was still used while the new one was being built. That same year, the hospital burned down.

The first part of the new church opened in 1915, and the second part in 1928. But the work stopped because it was too expensive. The old church was then taken down, but the bell tower from 1870 was kept. Only the front part of the new church and some foundations were completed.

On August 27, 1933, Bishop Mateo Múgica officially opened the church. The central part was closed off with a wall, and doors were added to the sides, so it could be used for services.

On May 1, 1970, the Basque Diocesan Missions took over the sanctuary. They decided not to finish the building because it was too costly. They felt the space they had was enough.

However, they did make updates to finish the existing parts better. The outside of the wall closing the central nave was decorated. The inside was decorated with mosaics and stained glass windows. The mosaic in the Chapel of the Most Holy Sacrament opened in 1993, and the one for the High Altar in 1997. In 1991, the large entrance staircase was built. In 2006, a new guesthouse and an eco-museum were opened.

A Special Legend

The Sanctuary of the two Saints Anthony of Urkiola.

There is a story that Saint Anthony of Padua visited Urkiola. He might have been on his way to Compostela or returning to his hometown, Lisbon. The legend says he stayed at the pilgrims' hospital. He prayed and held mass in the old chapel dedicated to Saint Anton. He admired Saint Anton so much that he took his name when he joined the Franciscan order.

Traditions at the Sanctuary

People often give gifts to the sanctuary. Towns, landowners, and shepherds donate things. Often, steers (young male cows) are given and then sold at an auction.

There is a tradition called "blessing of the children." Mothers bring their babies, under one year old, to the sanctuary after spending the night there. The child is weighed on a scale called peso leal (loyal weight). An offering equal to the child's weight is made, usually wheat, oil, or wax.

The stone at the entrance is believed to have special powers. As mentioned before, if single people walk around it seven times clockwise, they might find a partner. Walking backward is said to have the opposite effect. People also leave money, notes, or colored pins for this same reason.

This special stone is a mix of different rocks, pebbles, and fossils. It was placed in the small square on November 29, 1929. Benito de Vizcarra, the sanctuary's leader at the time, found the strange stone in a nearby mountain and moved it to an easy-to-reach spot.

The tradition of walking around the stone to find a partner comes from an older tradition. People used to stick pins into a canvas in the sacristy. White-headed pins were for blond partners, and black-headed pins were for dark-haired ones. This tradition of going to Urkiola to ask for a partner led to these verses:

Festivals and Important Dates

Two main festivals are celebrated at Urkiola, one for each Saint Anthony.

• Saint Anthony the Abbot: This festival is on January 17. It is dedicated to farm animals. People perform rituals to keep their animals healthy. This saint is known as the protector of animals. The celebration is repeated the following Sunday. Animals are led over a fire and blessed. The sacristan even visits nearby villages to bless animals. Blessed bread, soaked in water from the sanctuary, is given to the animals to eat.
• Saint Anthony of Padua: This festival is on June 13 and the following Sunday. This saint is asked for help finding lost items and partners. A pilgrimage (a special journey) is held, and people used to walk there. There is also a fair for livestock and farm products. He is known as the protector of the poor.
• Saint Joseph: The patron saint of the Diocesan Missions, who care for the sanctuary, is celebrated on March 19.
• Blessing of the Children: This special day is on the second Sunday of July.
• Married or Family Day: This is on the third Sunday of July. On this day, people seeking a partner turn around the stone at the entrance.
• Thanksgiving Day or Urrixena: This day celebrates the good harvest from the fields. It is held on the second Sunday of October.
• On January 13, 1924, the Urkiola sanctuary was linked to the Roman Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. This means visitors to Urkiola have the same special benefits as those who visit the Roman church.
• On June 13, 1854, the famous Basque song "Gernikako Arbola" was performed for the first time in the Basque Country right at the entrance of the Urkiola church.

Other Parts of the Area

The Stations of the Cross path with the Santo Cristo Chapel in the background.

Besides the main sanctuary, there are two small chapels and a Stations of the Cross path. These chapels are equally far from the sanctuary and connected by a road that follows the old Royal Road.

• Our Lady of the Remedies and Saint Apollonia: This chapel is often called Santutxu. It is located over a spring that flows into a large fountain with a washing area. People believe the water from this fountain has healing powers. Since Saint Apollonia protects dentists, many think the water is good for teeth and toothaches. For the water to work, people say you should drink some, walk around the chapel three or seven times, then spit the water out while praying to the saint. You should say a prayer before and after this ritual.
• Santo Cristo or de La Vera Cruz: Like the previous one, this chapel is on the edge of the old Royal Road. Tradition says pilgrims used to take off their shoes here before reaching the sanctuary. It was built in 1663.
• Stations of the Cross and Calvary: Built in 1943, this is a unique double Stations of the Cross. The path going out is different from the path coming back. It leads to a Calvary (a place representing where Jesus was crucified) on a natural balcony. This balcony overlooks the beautiful Atxarte gorge and Durangaldea area.

See also

In Spanish: Santuario de Urkiola para niños