Real y Muy Ilustre Hermandad Sacramental del Santísimo Cristo del Mar, Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Coronada y San Juan de la Palma
Foundation Year: 1917
Canonical See: Basilica of Santa Maria
Images:
Holy Christ of the Sea • Antonio Castillo Lastrucci 1942.
Our Lady of Dolores Crowned • Anonymous Napolitano S.XVI.
San Juan de la Palma • Antonio Castillo Lastrucci 1942.
Shield:
From the lower part stands the coat of arms of the Basilica of Santa Maria, the canonical seat of the corporation crowned by the Pontifical coat of arms, symbol of the basilica dignity of this church linked to the Holy See and His Holiness the Pope. On it we find as the central axis the primitive shield of the corporation and current Matrix Brotherhood composed of a heart pierced by a dagger, symbol of the seven sorrows of the Virgin, a palm in memory of Saint John the Evangelist and flanked by the cross of Calatrava flordelisada I remember the sacred headlines. To the left of the same, within a cartouche and on the Blue Alicante corporate background of the Brotherhood, the image of the Holy Face between clouds that represent the Miracle of the Tear, corresponding to the shield of the Sacramental Brotherhood of the Holy Christ of Penas and the Holy Woman Veronica. To his right, on the corporate mauve background, the Holy Chalice of the Sacramental Brotherhood of Jesus in Samaria, Holy Prayer in the Garden and Holy Virgin of Peace. Above all this, a phylactery reads the motto of the parent Brotherhood "Ad maiorem Dei gloriam et Beatae Mariae Virginis" (To the greater Glory of God and the Blessed Virgin Mary), which is the motto of the company of Jesus. And in the lower phylactery, the founding date: MCMXVII (1917).
Dress:
It is traditional for this brotherhood to wear a white vest and mask with the emblem of the embroidered corporation. An abaca girdle will be placed around the waist, complemented with gloves, socks and white shoes, along with the Brotherhood medal. A distinctive feature of this Brotherhood is to carry a palm among his brothers in line, followers of San Juan de la Palma, a beloved disciple.
History:
The Jesuit Father Rafael Esplá Rizo founded in 1917 the Brotherhood of the Sorrowful Virgin in the Carmen Convent of the Santa Cruz neighborhood of Alicante, having his first processional exit in 1918 processioning a beautiful Dolorosa of the imaginative D. Francisco Salzillo that its founder gave away to the members of the brotherhood and who was to worship in the church of the convent of Carmen.
The following year, in 1919, Father Esplá continued to transmit his illusion to the young members of the Marian Congregations of San Luis Gonzaga and San Estanislao de Kostka by the recently created brotherhood, encouraging them to be an active part of it. Within it, appear the "San Juanistas" or devotees of Saint John the Evangelist and the "Luises" devotees of La Dolorosa. That devotion to Saint John resulted in the inclusion of the beloved disciple in the brotherhood.
On the night of May 11, 1931, in the midst of great anticlerical movements that took place in the city of Alicante, the most important misfortune in the history of the brotherhood will take place: a group of uncontrolled people set fire to the Church of Carmen and with it, As happened in thousands of churches throughout Spain, the images of La Dolorosa and San Juan Evangelista burned, as well as all their belongings. Practically, the brotherhood is dissolved and until the end of the already imminent Civil War it will not return to procession. However, its members will continue with the cult of their holders in hiding until the end of the war.
In 1940, the Brotherhood reorganized. The survivors of then meet again with more enthusiasm, if possible, than the first time and speak of returning as soon as possible to give life to the congregation and worship their former patrons. On March 31, 1942, the new Dolorosa, a Neapolitan carving from the late s. XVI rescued from a fire in northern Spain, returns to leave again alone, now from the Church of Santa Maria, in charge of the PP. Jesuits.
In 1943 the images of the Santísimo Cristo del Mar and San Juan Evangelista, who took the nickname of San Juan de la Palma, arrived in Alicante from the workshop of Mr. Antonio Castillo Lastrucci in Seville. From this year on, they will accompany Our Lady of Sorrows in the Penance Station of the brotherhood.
Also noteworthy is the very valuable set of canopy and mantle of the Virgin of Sorrows, which is popularly known as "of the doves", so called because of its embroidery, as well as endless filigrees, a delicate set of 43 doves embroidered in silver, with the wings in the air supported by springs. It measures 5 meters long by 4.5 meters wide and when it is moved by the bearers it produces the effect on the pigeons of going flying, flapping their wings.
The brotherhood celebrated its centenary in 2017, its Dolorosa being canonically crowned and receiving the titles of "Royal" and "Very Illustrious".
Musical contribution to Holy Week
- Christ of the Sea • Bernabé Sanchís Sanz. Dedicated to the Brotherhood of the same name. Year 2002.
- Habanera de los Dolores • Handwriting by Fernando Candela. Music by C.J. Gomez. Dedicated to the Marian image of the Brotherhood of Cristo del Mar and Our Lady of Dolores. Year 2006.
- Virgin of the Crowned Dolores • Abel Moreno Gómez. “March of procession dedicated to the Virgin of the Dolors of the Brotherhood of the Christ of the Sea of Alicante in its Coronation”. Sheet music dated September 30, 2017.
- Queen of Santa Maria • Rubén Jordán Flores. "March hymn composed for the coronation of the image of Our Lady of Dolores." Sheet music with handwritten date of August 30, 2017.