Glorious Confraternity of the Patron Saint of Spain, Saint James the Apostle

The Glorious Confraternity of Saint James the Apostle has its roots in the old popular celebrations of the Santiago neighbourhood, initially linked to the evening festival of Saint Roch by the open ground of Las Tinajerías. As early as 1894 there are references to festivities and processional transfers related to the Jacobean devotion, with the traditional evening festival later moving to the area of the Paseo del Coso.

The oldest titular image, attributed to the Lucena-born sculptor Andrés Cordón and dated to the first half of the 19th century, depicts the apostle Saint James on horseback as the patron saint of Spain, victorious over the Moors. The parish also preserves a modern image of Saint James the Pilgrim, incorporated into the brotherhood in 1980.

After several decades of decline and suspension of the religious services, the festivities in honour of the apostle regained their splendour in 1953 thanks to the efforts of parish priest Rafael Maestre and numerous neighbourhood residents, who kept both the religious and popular dimensions of the celebration alive.

From the late 1970s onwards, the brotherhood began a new stage of reorganisation and growth. During these years, events such as the pregón of the festivities (held from 1988 to 2003, except in 1999 and 2001) became established, the image of Saint James on horseback was restored, and processional and liturgical activity was strengthened. In 1991, to mark the centenary of the founding of the parish of Santiago, the patron saint of Spain processed in an extraordinary way in both of his forms: on horseback and as a pilgrim.

A particularly significant moment in the corporation’s recent history took place on 27 June 2014, the date on which the bishop of the diocese approved its statutes and canonically established it.

The confraternity’s canonical seat is the Iglesia Parroquial de Santiago Apóstol. Among its main acts of worship are the triduum in honour of the titular image and the procession held on the Saturday immediately before the feast day of Saint James the Apostle.