Purísima Concepción (Virgen del Castillo)

Patron of Yecla (Murcia)

Patrona de Yecla, the Purísima Concepción - popularly Virgin of the Castle - is venerated in the shrine of the hill of the castle; its December parties, with the arronador Alarde Armas, are of National Tourist Interest.

Origin and history

The invocation is the Immaculate Conception, venerated in the temple of the Castle since the 17th century, in a place with a history of Mozarian church dedicated to Santa Maria. In 1691, the "Colradía de la Pursima" was founded; the image came to Yecla in 1695, brought by a Franciscan, and was enthroned as a patron. The original image was lost in the Civil War; the current image is by Miguel Torregrosa (1941) and was canonically crowned in 1954.

The tradition links the parties to Captain Martín Soriano Zaplana, who, after fighting the French, returned to Yecla without casualties and went up to the sanctuary, firing his weapons in thanksgiving, from the Alarde de Armas. The Festivals of the Virgin of the Castle (5-8 December), with the image and the ritual shooting, are of National Tourist Interest.