The church of San Agustín in Fuente Álamo
The parish church of Fuente Álamo is devoted to Saint Augustine
The Iglesía de San Agustín lies at the heart of Fuente Álamo, its belltower dominating the skyline above the Rambla del Fraile, which runs through the heart of the town. The church has been constantly remodeled at various points throughout its history, the latest renovation being the belltower in the 1960s, although as recently as 2011 the Plaza and areas surrounding the church were re-modelled to create a new pedestrianised zone.
History
(Click here for a history of Fuente Álamo)
The real beginnings of Fuente Álamo as a town date to about 1520, when the countryside right along the coast of Murcia had suffered de-population due to the combined danger of Berber pirate attacks from north Africa and the proximity to the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Moorish kingdom of Granada. Frequent border skirmishes made life dangerous for those farming the area, so many moved inland.
The land in what is now Fuente Álamo was formerly divided among three municipalities, Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca. In around 1520, Lorca made an attempt to repopulate the area by issuing farming concessions, and at this time about 25 people took up the offer and established a settlement next to the "Fuente del Álamo", the spring by the poplar tree, and the Rambla of El Fraile.
The first religious structure would have been a very simple chapel, which was enlarged in 1583, and an inscription which has survived in the choir tells us that the first tower was completed in 1621.
The settlement was awarded the status of "villa" by Felipe IV in 1634, although the decision was opposed by Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca, all of which hoped to continue reaping benefits from the administration of the locality. The independence of the "villa" was not renewed until 1702 (by Carlos III), although the question of administration remained and an unsatisfactory system of alternating turns among the three cities was instigated.
In 1783 a new door was opened in one side of the church, and in 1820 Fuente Álamo was proclaimed a municipality in its own right.
The church was badly affected by fire at the start of the Civil War in 1936, and among the items destroyed were images, altars, the organ, the pulpit and the tabernacle.
Towards the end of the Civil War the church was used as a prison, housing the prisoners captured during the sinking of the Castillo de Olite, Spain's worst shipwreck disaster in 1939.
The basic structure of the building remained intact, as was the case with so many other churches throughout Spain, but in the 1940s it was necessary to purchase new furnishings and images, with the help of donations from the general public. Replacement sculptures were commissioned from Murcia sculptor José Sánchez Lozano, (see the Conjunto Monumental San Juan de Díos in Murcia) and include San Agustín and the Virgen del Rosario, patrons of the town, and a Dolorosa.
The current bell tower and clock were completed in 1963.
Fuente Álamo celebrates its main Fiestas in honour of San Agustín on and around 28th August.
Mass times at the Parroquia de San Agustín in Fuente Álamo
Winter (November to March): Tuesday to Friday 19.30, Saturdays and the days before religious holidays 20.00, Sundays and religious holidays 9.30 and 12.00.
The parish office opens on Tuesday and Thursday at 20.00: telephone 968 597077.
Summer (April to October): Tuesday to Friday 20.00, Saturdays and the days before religious holidays 21.00, Sundays and religious holidays 9.30 and 12.00.
The parish office opens on Tuesday and Thursday at 20.30.
Confession half an hour before mass.
