11st August 2025. – At its ordinary meeting held yesterday, Tuesday 12th August —the feast day of St. Hilaria of Augsburg— the Board of Officers of the Agrupación de Cofradías of Lucena, acting on the proposal of its President, Antonio Díaz, approved the appointment of Teresa Botella Pérez as the recipient of the 2026 ‘Manolo Ramírez’ Cofrade Award.

The award is bestowed in recognition of her long-standing commitment to Lucena’s confraternity community, where she has successfully combined Christian values and principles with sensitivity and dedication, both in the day-to-day life of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Christ of the Humiliation and Our Lady of Sorrows, ‘Servitas’ (Cofradía del Santísimo Cristo de la Humillación y Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, ‘Servitas’) and in her relationship with the other brotherhoods and confraternities of Lucena, promoting the restoration of the town’s religious heritage, humility and solidarity.

A life of exemplary sacrifice and solidarity 

For more than two decades, Lucena-born Teresa Botella has contributed to the growth and development of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Christ of the Humiliation and Our Lady of Sorrows, ‘Servitas’ (Cofradía del Santísimo Cristo de la Humillación y Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, ‘Servitas’), holding several positions within the institution, including ‘camarera’ (dresser) for sixteen years and later Head of the Brotherhood, becoming the first woman to assume the highest office of leadership and governance in a confraternity in Lucena.

Likewise, her well-known humility and solidarity with others were clearly demonstrated when she led her confraternity’s embroidery workshop, founded by the Lucena priest Brother Antonio Budia Sabán and transformed into a place of fellowship and Christian formation for its sisters, as well as a means of reviving the traditional technique of gold embroidery and applying it to the vestments of the confraternity’s titular images. 

This exemplary life of sacrifice and solidarity, both within the confraternity community and in her family life, has made her a worthy recipient of this distinguished honour, which is awarded annually by the Agrupación de Cofradías of Lucena, as recognised by its Board of Officers at the plenary meeting held last night. 

The presentation of the award will take place, as is customary, prior to the Holy Week Proclamation, which will be held on 28th March 2026 at the Major Parish Church of St. Matthew the Apostle and will this year be delivered by Jaime Verdú Orellana.