Chapel of the Confraternity of El Rocío of Olivares

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Olivares. Estatua de la Virgen del Rocío

The Confraternity of El Rocío of Olivares was founded in 1933, an offshoot of the Confraternity of El Rocío in the neighbouring town of Umbrete. However, it was not until the following year, 1934, when the parent organisation, the Confraternity of El Rocío of Almonte, accepted it as an official affiliate, once the Confraternity of Gines had sponsored it. The Confraternity of Olivares became the 18th of its kind at the time. On 13 May 1935, it was recognised officially and canonically as the Confraternity of El Rocío of Olivares by the Archdiocese of Seville under the Vicar-General’s decree number 13,287.

The Confraternity acquired its first seat in 1950. It later relocated to a larger venue built by its members on weekends. It was finally completed in 1977. In 1955, the sculptor Antonio Eslava Rubio was commissioned to make a new image of Our Lady of El Rocío. The previous one had been destroyed when the statue’s garments caught fire from the candles that lit her. Only the Child Jesus, dressed like a shepherd, held by the Virgin Mary, was saved. Both the standard and the silver cart used to transport the image of the Virgin on the pilgrimage to El Rocío were made by Eduardo Seco.

The enthusiasm of the devotees of Our Lady of El Rocío has made it possible to build a chapel-house for the Confraternity at Avenida del Rocío. It has an octagonal plan, a large dome, stained glass windows and twin towers. The chapel has become a landmark for the entire Aljarafe region, making it the only Confraternity in the district with its own image and chapel.

The chapel is a tall, symmetrical building with an easily recognisable silhouette. It is painted in white with decorative mustard-yellow strips, and its towers are topped by spires.

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Chapel

El Rocío

Sacred art