Romana

On January 13, a painting of St. Josemaría was blessed in the parish of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, in La Rinconada, Seville. The brief ceremony, which took place during Sunday Mass, was presided over by Fr. Javier Yániz, Vicar of Opus Dei in Western Andalusia and Extremadura. Concelebrating the Mass with him was the parish priest, Fr. Alvaro Montilla. Many faithful from La Rinconada were present, along with others who were born in this beautiful and historic town in the countryside of Seville and now live and work in other cities. “When I heard that there was going to be a painting of the founder of the Work in my town, I was very happy,” said Mari Carmen Adame, who now lives in Cordoba, “because I am a member of Opus Dei and a result of St. Josemaría’s holy life.”

The initiative to obtain a painting and a relic of St. Josemaría for the parish came from Antonio Aguilar and his wife Inma, residents of La Rinconada, with the help of the parish priest.

At the end of the Mass, in the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows in front of the parish church, the site of a former hospital founded in 1248 by the saintly King Ferdinand III, an act of recognition of St. Josemaría was read on behalf of the titular brotherhood of the church, which was then signed by all those who wished to do so.