San Antonio de Padua Sanctuary in Almendralejo Granted Real Title by King Felipe VI

King Felipe VI has officially granted the title of “Real” to the San Antonio de Padua diocesan sanctuary in Almendralejo.

The royal designation honors the temple’s historical fidelity to the Crown of Spain. This institutional link stretches back to May 16, 1654, when King Philip IV issued a royal certificate granting a license to establish the Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua in the town. Fernando Nieto Becerra, his wife Juana de Alvarado Mendoza, and her sister Leonor originally promoted that foundation.

This distinction places the Almendralejo sanctuary in an exclusive group within Extremadura. Only the monasteries of Yuste, Santa Ana de Badajoz, and Guadalupe share the “Real” title in the region.

The initiative began in 2022 when the governing board of the Cofradía del Santísimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte sought the honor with backing from spiritual director Rafael Corraliza Ferrera. David Miguel Belinchón García served as the brotherhood’s elder brother at the time.

Organizers spent four years gathering historical records and compiling an exhaustive dossier for the Royal Household. The formal application submitted in 2025 included the historical brief, the archbishop’s endorsement from Monsignor Fray José Rodríguez Carballo, the governing board’s formal agreement, and the brotherhood’s statutes.

King Felipe VI accepted appointment as honorary elder brother of the cofradía on April 14, 2026. The sanctuary has also held the status of a perpetual jubilee temple since 2022.

Almendralejo Mayor José María Ramírez and the brotherhood leadership announced that the official ceremony will take place on November 29, 2026. A solemn Eucharist will begin at 12:00 noon inside the sanctuary, presided over by Mérida-Badajoz Archbishop Fray José Rodríguez Carballo, who will present the official credential for the “Real” title.

The broadcast will air live nationwide on TRECE TV, featuring musical accompaniment from the Coral de Almendralejo under the direction of Juan Bote. Attendance inside the sanctuary for the ceremony will be restricted with controlled access.