The parish church of La Concepción in Alhama de Murcia
The current church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception dates from the 18th century
Murcia was one of the first parts of Spain where devotion to the Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception) flourished, and there are various municipalities where places of worship were founded by brotherhoods in the 17th century.
The stated aims of these brotherhoods were to cater for needs which had hitherto been ignored or insufficiently attended to, to help the sick and the poor, to build a hospital for the unwell and the needy, and to provide decent burial for the deceased, and these aims are well documented in towns such as 
Calasparra, Caravaca, Cehegín and Lorca, all of which were home to brotherhoods of "La Concepción Inmaculada".
The first mention of the church in Alhama dates back to 1627, when on 21st March a chapter meeting was held by the Franciscans in the monastery of Alcázar de San Juan, presided over by Fray Bernardino de Sena, and it was decided that "in the villa of Alhama, five leagues distant from Mula, a Hospice should be founded, whose main purpose should be to give shelter to the ill believers who come to the place to visit the healing baths in the town." (Note: the remains of the Roman, Moorish and 19th century thermal spa complex in Alhama can be visited at the Los Baños Archaeological Museum).
A document dated 1688, which is in the archive of the church of San Lázaro, relates to repairs required to the church in the present location, but there is little other documentary evidence and nothing at this stage to indicate the form or size of the buildings. (Click here for a history of Alhama de Murcia).
In the 18th century the existing building was remodelled to create the structure which exists today, although the building has since undergone several episodes of repair and reconstruction, the last of which was between 1974 and 1994, when the annexes to the church were demolished and new ones built. The tower was also altered significantly at this point.
The old convent hospice was linked to the church and it is known that the structures which dated from its early foundations were demolished in 1888 and replaced with the current church. This ties in with the sale of the church and buildings to a private individual, who ceded their use to Cáritas as a hospital and educational establishment in 1888.
In 1968 "La Concepción" assumed its current role as parish church.
Works of religious art
The highlight of the works of art in the Parroquia de la Concepción is a wooden sculpture which is attributed by some to Roque López, a pupil of master sculptor Francisco Salzillo in the late 18th century.
The oil painting of the "Virgen del Corazón de Jesús" is by Wssel de Gimbarda (1830-1907), and shows the Virgin cradling the infant Jesus in her left arm while her right hand shows us the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Virgin appears wearing a crown and treading on a snake, indicating that the painting dates from after the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception was accepted by the Church in 1854.
The image of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary are repeated in the stained glass windows above the main altar, and inside the church there is also a "Crucificado" figure dating from 1992 by the López Sevilla brothers.
Hours of Mass at La Iglesia de la Concepción
Winter (approximately 1st September to 30th June): Weekdays 19.30, Saturdays 18.30, Sundays and religious feast days 9.00, 11.00, 18.30 and 19.30.
Summer (July and August): Weekdays 19.30, Sundays 9.00, 11.00 and 19.30.
The church is a stop-off point during the Romería de la Candelaria, which takes place every year on 2nd February, and is also used for community events and concerts.
For more local information in English about the Alhama de Murcia municipality, including news, static information and forthcoming events, visit the home page of Alhama Today.
