Parroquia San Francisco Javier, San Javier, Murcia

Parroquia San Francisco Javier, Hours of mass, museum and general information

Where is the Parroquía San Francisco Javier, San Javier?

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History of the Parroquia san Francisco Javier, San Javier

At the beginning of the 17th century the area which now includes San Javier was scarcely populated, a small number of families carrying out fishing and agricultural activities, threatened all the time by the menace of Berber Pirates who harassed them and stole their crops and animals.

The area had been inhabited by a succession of cultures, (see history of San Javier) and since the Middle Ages had been undergoing a slow repopulation, with Christianity the dominant religion by this point in time. In the early 17th century, the residents decided to build a hermitage, and set out to construct a small hermitage in honour of San Francisco Javier, a saint associated with the healing of fevers and illnesses caused by  proximity to marshes and swamps. At this time the area was considerably wetter than it is today, hence the dedication of the hermitage to this saint.

The hermitage was built in roughly the same position as the current church, at the crossroads which linked the former Roman road which ran right along the Mediterranean coastline, from Cadíz across France and into Italy, joining with the main road which ran to the coast from Murcia capital.

Around this hermitage, a cluster of houses formed, which gradually spread to incorporate the hamlet of La Calavera and attracted populations from the Cabezo Gordo.

In 1698 Bishop, don Francisco Fernández Angulo converted the hermitage of San Francisco to a Parroquia and in 1699 works began to build the new church of San Javier which exists today, with construction completed in 1787.

During the unrest prior to the Spanish Civil war the church suffered the same fate as many others across Spain, and was attacked and set on fire. The interior of the church was competely burned out, putting the stability of the church at risk, and a great deal of the interior decoration and historical statues were destroyed.

The majority of the church and municipal records were also destroyed in the blaze, although residents did manage to save some of the artworks from the fire.

The Church has undergone a complete restoration since, and the sculptures rescued from the fire have been restored, and replacements made for those which were lost.

One of the most beautiful pieces is Christ crucified, on the right hand wall entering the church. This was one of the pieces which was pulled out of the fire by a local lady who hid it in her home until after the war when it was returned to the church. It is slightly darkened by the effects of the flames, but is a magnificent piece, made by an anonymous artist at the end of the 16th century, beginning of the 17th century and is fully articulated, so that it can be lain down for use in processions or hung on a cross as it is displayed now.

San José was also rescued from the fire and underwent two restoration procedures to restore him to his current condition.

Tragically the church had formerly held sculptures by the great Murcian master sculptor,Francisco Salzillo, due to the patronage of the Riquelme family who owned land in the municipality, but these were lost in the fire.

There is an interesting museum contained within the Church, the Museo Parroquial, created by D. José Ballester which is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 10.30am and 1.30pm. Entry is free, although visitors may make a voluntary donation to the church should they so desire.

It contains an interesting collection of pieces which reflect the history of the church, and is a fascinating place to visit, with some excellent sculptures in its midst. One little piece which stands out is the tiny metal african belen, have a look for it in the display cases, and don´t forget to climb up the stairs at the back, as this gives a striking view of the church from above.

San Francisco Javier
San Francisco Javier was a missionary Jesuit priest who lived between 1506 and 1552, and was best known for his missionary works in the Far East. For 10 years he preached throughout India and  Japan, converting thousands to the Christian faith. He died in 1552 on the island of Sanchon Sancian, at the gates of China.

He was known as the "gigante de la historia de las misiones, " the giant of missionary history and was named by Pope Pius X as the official patron of overseas missionaries. His history makes extraordinary reading, battling with illness, and adversity, as he worked his way through India, China, Japan and Africa preaching and converting, he really was an extraordinary man.

He was canonised in 1622.

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