You are in the house of the patron saint of Vera: The Virgen de las Angustias (Virgin of Sorrows). Built in 1719 over the private chapel of Mr. Pedro García and Mrs. Catalina Ponce de León , the house has been linked to devotions from its inception. When finished, it was ceded to the Illustrious and Venerable Hermandad de Nuestra Señora la Santísima Virgen de las Angustias.
During the last three centuries, the Temple has undergone restorations, improvements and extensions. Nevertheless, the original devotion has remained intact. For this reason, on the 10th of June 1888, the Virgin was proclaimed the patron saint of the city and was crowned by the Diocese on 11th of July 1926.
The statue which is made of boxwood, is one of the religious imagery treasures of Andalusia, and was made at the end of the 17th century. Thanks to this devotion, the statue was the only one belonging to the Brotherhood that survived the sackings and burnings during the Spanish Civil War. It was however hit five times by gunfire and beat, so as a result the phalanges of the hands were broken.
The statue which was subsequently restored in Valencia was saved from the burning by some of the inhabitants of Vera and they gave her refuge during this tumultuous period.
Nowadays, she dominates the altarpiece, which is the only one in the province made of plaster. There you can also find the statue of San José (St. Joseph) and also the statue of San Francisco (St. Francis), in honor of the Hermanas Franciscanas, a religious order who have helped and watched over the Temple. At the bottom you can also find the shield of the Brotherhood, one of the oldest in the city, which was established on 1680.
During the most recent restoration, carried out between 2006 and 2009, a vaulted niche was discovered which contained fresco paintings dating from the 17th Century.
Inside the chapel you could visit the museum with a permanent brotherhood assets exposition, pennants, robes, statues and jewels…