GUIDE TO VISITING
THE PARISH CHURCH OF SAN FERNANDO.
BEFORE BEGINNING, THREE IMPORTANT POINTS.
FIRST. SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE TIME WHEN THE CHURCH WAS BUILT.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the city of Madrid underwent a period of rapid expansion to accommodate its growing population. This created a need to build new churches to serve the faithful living in the new neighborhoods. The Diocese of Madrid (at that time, the Diocese of Madrid-Alcalá) responded to the situation despite the difficulties: budget constraints, limited available land, etc.
The Parish of San Fernando was established by episcopal decree on December 29, 1960. The parish church was designed a few years later, in 1969. Its construction was completed in the early 1970s.
Meanwhile, between 1962 and 1965, the Second Vatican Council took place, promoting an update of the life of the Church. Among other objectives, the Second Vatican Council sought to present, in contemporary language, an updated vision of the identity and mission of the Church in the world. As a result of the council, in the following years, the way of celebrating the liturgy was renewed. These issues directly affected the way in which churches and spaces where parish communities lived, worked, and celebrated were designed.
The post-conciliar architects, sculptors, glassmakers, etc. who worked on the new churches sought a language appropriate to the historical moment in which they lived. They wanted to explore new forms of expression that did not simply repeat the models that had been reproduced in previous centuries. As we shall see, in the case of the parish church of San Fernando, they did so by drawing inspiration from Creation, Revelation, and the Christian artistic tradition. They adopted as their criterion the authenticity of the materials used: brick, cement, metal, etc. are neither hidden nor disguised. In addition, they want to capture, materially, the great theological density characteristic of a Christian church. And they do so with the limited means at their disposal, turning to the symbolism of the Christian artistic tradition.
SECOND. THE TEMPLE AS A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER WITH GOD.
God creates man and invites him to a dialogue of love so that human beings may share in his divine life and thus attain a full life as his children (cf. Second Vatican Council, Constitution Dei Verbum, 2 ff.).
God speaks to man through Creation, of which man is a part, and through Revelation. The culmination of Creation and Revelation is Jesus Christ.
In the fullness of time, God the Father sends his Son into the world so that men may know his love and share in his own life. Through the Incarnation, the Son of God assumes human nature and, being the second person of the Trinity, becomes truly human. After his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, the Son ascends to heaven with the Father, from where he sends us the Holy Spirit. Thus the Church arises as the family of God’s children.
Since then, every Christian, as a member of the Church, has access to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. Moved by the Holy Spirit, man responds to the dialogue of love that God proposes to him. He does so by relying both on the divine language he discovers in Creation and on what God has revealed to him through Revelation.
THIRD. THE SQUARE AND THE CIRCLE IN TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM.
For many centuries, inspired by the language of Creation, two basic forms have been used in Christian symbolism: the square and the circle.
The square. Every human being, standing in the midst of the world in which they live their life, experiences four basic directions: front, back, right, and left. Therefore, the number of relative directions is four. Hence, human realities in this world can be represented by a square (if done in two dimensions) or a cube (if done in three).
A square or a cube has edges and corners. These are shapes capable of hurting or causing harm, which corresponds to the experience of effort and suffering, so common in human life.
The circle. If the same human being looks up at the sky at night, they discover the stars, which seem fixed in the sky. That sky, under which the world in which they live is found, appears in the shape of a half sphere. In this sense, we speak of the “vault of heaven.” Hence, celestial realities can be represented by a circle (if done in two dimensions) or a sphere (if done in three).
The circle, or sphere, are smooth, perfect shapes with no beginning and no end. Unlike the square or cube, they have no edges or corners. Hence, they adequately represent infinite, perfect realities in which there is no effort or pain.
The combination of the square and the circle as a representation of the mystery of Jesus Christ. According to Christian revelation, Jesus Christ is true God and true man. In him there is one person, divine, with two natures, divine and human.
After what has been said about the square and the circle, it is easy to understand how, for many centuries, these two basic shapes (square and circle, or cube and sphere) have been used in Christian iconography and architecture to represent the sacred humanity of Jesus Christ. For example, in pre-Romanesque architecture (from the late 5th century to the 10th century) and Romanesque architecture (from the late 10th century to the mid-12th century), this reference is used in an obvious way. Later architectural movements continue to use it, although often in a more stylized and less obvious way.
It is important to note that curved walls and roofs are more expensive to build than straight ones. Hence, they are only used in temples that have been built with a high budget.
As we shall see, the square can be found everywhere in the parish church of San Fernando. However, the circle is represented in the elements that most symbolically allude to Jesus Christ: the altar, the ambo, the seat, the baptismal font, and the holy water font.
VISIT TO THE TEMPLE
EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
The shape of the building that houses the San Fernando parish center resembles a tent. This reference has rich biblical roots. The book of Exodus recounts how the ancient people of Israel, who prophetically anticipated what the Church would be, wandered through the desert for forty years toward the promised land. Similarly, the Church, as the people of God, journeys through history toward heaven.
The presence of the Tent of Meeting (cf. Ex 33:7-9) in the camp of the ancient people of Israel was the visible sign of God’s presence among his people. That sign prophetically announced what would be, in the fullness of time, the presence of the Risen Jesus Christ among his people, who are the Church. Hence, the building, inspired by the tents used for camping on a pilgrimage, alludes to that presence of God. The Gospel of St. John says that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14).
At the front of the temple, there is a large column that supports the metal cross that presides over the exterior of the building. Traditionally, Christian architecture has used vertical elements (such as towers) to express that the temple is the union of the high (heaven, God) with the low (earth, men). It is worth noting that the column has been constructed in such a way that a repetition of the square and cube motif can be seen throughout its entire body.
ATRIUM.
The atrium is a transitional space between the outside street and the interior of the temple. It provides an objective physical space where the faithful can gradually adapt, whether they are entering the temple or leaving it and going out onto the street. In addition, the atrium provides a meeting place outside the strictly sacred space of the interior of the temple.
If you look up at the ceiling from inside the atrium, it is easy to see that it has a square floor plan, subdivided into four areas. Three of them are joined together and form a transit area. The fourth is fenced off and serves a decorative and spiritual purpose. Thanks to the plants, the fenced-off area provides a testimonial presence of nature.
On the other hand, the small image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, located on a column, serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, it represents the theological and spiritual synthesis of this devotion which, as will be seen, is directly related to all the symbolism of the temple. In Jesus Christ, God loves every human being with a love that is both human and divine. On the other hand, it recalls the historical fact that on May 30, 1919 (the liturgical feast day of St. Ferdinand), Spain was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the shrine of Cerro de los Ángeles.
In the atrium there are six pairs of double doors, making a total of 12 doors. The number 12 has great symbolic significance in the Bible. It is the number of the tribes of the ancient people of Israel and the number of the apostles, on whose foundation the new and definitive Israel, which is the Church, is built. In the book of Revelation, the heavenly Jerusalem, image of the definitive Kingdom of God, has 12 gates (cf. Rev 21:12). Therefore, it is easy to associate the number of gates of the parish church with those of the heavenly Jerusalem: “This is the dwelling place of God with men” (Rev 21:3).
On the other hand, each panel has three square coffers horizontally and ten vertically. This adds up to 12 coffers horizontally in each set of double doors. Once again, the number 12 is repeated. In addition, two other numbers of great symbolic significance in the Christian tradition appear: 3 and 10. The number 3 is immediately associated with the Holy Trinity and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day. The number 10 is associated with the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments, which God gave to his people in the old covenant (Ex 20; Dt 5) and which Jesus Christ brought to fulfillment in the constitution of the new and definitive covenant.
Finally, the panels of the doors on which the handles are located are covered with a metallic relief. In these reliefs, a circular shape is revealed, framed by the square of the panel; and inside the circular shape there is a cross. This alludes to the mystery of Jesus Christ. Remember what was said earlier about the combination of the square and the circle. The motif used is the same as that used on the candle holders on the altar in the main nave.
Between the two sets of double doors that give access to the main nave of the church is the image of Saint Ferdinand, the patron saint of the parish. It is part of Christian tradition to place parishes under the protection of a saint. In this way, the Church entrusts the care and protection of the parish community to that saint. At the same time, it helps the faithful to seek the intercession and help of the patron saint of their parish.
The image of Saint Ferdinand depicts him as a king. In 1217, when he was about 18 years old, Saint Ferdinand inherited the crown of the kingdom of Castile through his mother, Berenguela of Castile. In 1230, he inherited the crown of the kingdom of León through his father, Alfonso IX of León. The emblems of both kingdoms are represented on the tunic: the castle of the kingdom of Castile and the rampant lion of the kingdom of León.
Saint Ferdinand is seated on his royal throne. As king, he wears a simple crown on his head. In his right hand he holds the globe, a symbol representing the temporal power he exercised. In his left hand he holds a sword pointing downwards, a symbol representing the use of arms with which he defended Christians from their persecutors. The fact that the sword points downwards means that he was a king of peace who only used force in legitimate defense of those entrusted to him.
NARTHEX.
The narthex is a second transitional space. In the San Fernando building, the narthex is small. However, its low ceiling allows one to easily experience a sense of transit, of passing through a “tunnel” between the exterior and the interior. The notable difference between the height of the atrium roofs and the ceiling of the narthex, and between the ceiling of the narthex and the roof of the main nave, effectively contributes to the effect of moving into a different space.
Furthermore, the presence of two sets of doors, at the beginning and end of the narthex, serves a practical function by facilitating the thermal and acoustic insulation of the main nave.
MAIN NAVE.
Floor plan and layout. The main nave has a square floor plan. The presbytery is located in one of its corners, opposite the entrance doors. The presbytery is the area where the central actions of the liturgical celebration take place. It is raised above the rest of the floor. It is worth noting that, following a long tradition in Christian architecture, there are three steps separating the presbytery from the space reserved for the congregation.
The pews are arranged in four rows, in a fan shape. This layout is intended to bring the faithful closer to the presbytery. As a whole, the assembly is oriented towards the altar, located in the center of the presbytery.
Orientation. According to an ancient tradition, Christian churches are oriented towards the east. The sun rises in the east, and since the beginning of the Church, this natural sign has been associated with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, in San Fernando, the assembly’s prayer is oriented towards the northeast. When it is not possible (or convenient) to orient a church towards the east, the Church’s orientation of prayer towards the risen Jesus Christ can be expressed by other means. In San Fernando, two resources have been used: architecture and the image of Jesus Christ in majesty.
First, the roof of the main nave slopes down toward the corner where the presbytery is located. However, above the altar, there is a skylight in the roof that lets in sunlight. Remember that in Christian symbolism, light is associated with glory. In this way, the sloping roof alludes to the mystery of the Word’s humbling (cf. Phil 2:6-9), and the skylight alludes to his exaltation (cf. Phil 2:9-11) and the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It is on the altar that this mystery of love is made present in the celebration of Holy Mass.
Secondly, there is the image of Christ in majesty (cf. Rev 4), crowned as King of the universe, blessing with his right hand and showing the word of life in his left hand. Above the codex representing that word are written the Greek letters alpha and omega. In the book of Revelation, Jesus identifies himself as the Alpha and the Omega (cf. Rev 1:8). This Christological title appears twice more in Revelation (cf. Rev 21:6; 22:13). Jesus identifies himself as the one who is at the origin and destination of all created reality. “All things were created through him and for him” (Col 1:16). The whole life of the Church is oriented toward Jesus Christ, represented in majesty as King of the universe and King of kings (cf. Rev 19:16; 1 Tim 6:15). He is the horizon toward which the people of God journey.
It should be noted that the typography of the letters alpha and omega that appear in the book held by the image of Jesus Christ in majesty is the same as that used on the front of the tabernacle. This indicates that the one who is to come at the end of time is the same one who is already present among us under the Eucharistic species.
Roof. As mentioned above, the roof slopes down towards the presbytery. It is supported by a grid-like structure composed of seven large trusses, from west to east, which intersect with another seven, from north to south. The result of the interlacing beams creates a pattern of sixty-four small squares on the square roof, eight on each side.
The number 7 often has symbolic value in the Bible: it represents completeness. Among other things, it is associated with the days of Creation, as recounted in the book of Genesis (cf. Gn 1). The number 8, meanwhile, is associated with the eighth day of Creation. On the eighth day, the Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, God begins the new Creation. Hence, on the ceiling of the main nave, there is a sign reminding the faithful that, by entering the temple and participating in the liturgy, they are already participating, through the life of grace, in the reality of the new Creation.
It is important to remember that in the Bible, when two or more numbers that signify fullness (e.g., 7, 10, or 12) are combined, the result expresses a fullness of fullness. For example, in Matthew 18:15-22, Jesus exhorts us to forgive up to 70 times 7. Another significant example is in Revelation (cf. Rev 7:3-8; 14:1, 3-5) when the number of the elect appears: 144,000 (this number is the result of multiplying 12 by 12 by 10 by 10 by 10). Therefore, on the roof of the main nave, the result of multiplying 8 by 8 expresses the fullness of the eighth day.
Presbytery. As already mentioned, the presbytery is the area where the central actions of the liturgical celebration take place. In the presbytery there are three elements that represent Jesus Christ from the point of view of the symbolism of the architectural space. These elements are the altar, the ambo, and the seat.
– The altar is the table where the sacrifice of the Holy Mass is celebrated. It represents, spatially, Jesus Christ as Priest and Victim. Its four sides are decorated with vertical lines, which give it texture, and small geometric motifs, among which small crosses framed in circles can be seen. This decoration is also found on the baptismal font, as well as on the altarpiece and the altar of the tabernacle chapel.
– The ambo is the lectern from which the Word of God is proclaimed and, on occasions, the sermon is preached or the prayers of the faithful (also called “preces”) are led. It represents, spatially, Jesus Christ the Prophet.
– The seat is the seat of the minister who presides over the celebrations. It represents, spatially, Jesus Christ the King and Good Shepherd.
It is important to note that the three elements (altar, ambo, and seat) seen from above are square in shape and that, at the top of the three elements, there is an ornament made with a row of circular shapes. This expresses the union of the square and the circle as an expression of the mystery of Jesus Christ. These three elements are linked, through their symbolism, to Jesus Christ, who is true God (a reality expressed by the circular shape) and true man (a reality expressed by the square shape).
The altar, the seat, and the ambo are the only elements in the entire temple, along with the baptismal font, the holy water font, the tabernacle, and the stained glass windows, that clearly incorporate circular elements.
Above the altar is a skylight, opening directly onto the roof. It is square in shape, like the altar, and has the same dimensions as the altar. From a bird’s eye view, the skylight and the altar are one above the other, but the two squares are not superimposed: there is a 45-degree angle between them. Therefore, when viewed from above, the squares of the altar and the skylight form an eight-pointed star, inside which there is an octagon. This geometric shape can be seen as a new allusion to the eighth day, as mentioned earlier when discussing the roofs. The skylight, from which the crucifix presiding over the altar is suspended, is divided into eight equal triangles.
The vertical pole and horizontal crossbar of the cross presiding over the altar are the same size. The length of both is the width of the altar. The section of both has the same shape as the cross. This design is repeated in the fourteen crosses of the Way of the Cross that mark the stations of this prayer. The fourteen crosses are distributed along the south, east, and north walls and culminate in the image of the Risen Christ.
The cross presiding over the altar is made of methacrylate. This material has only been used for the altar cross and the holy water font. It is a different material from those used elsewhere in the church, indicating the special significance of the elements made from it.
There are several images in the presbytery. They represent some of the most important mysteries of the Lord’s life. Remember that the back of the presbytery of a church is the area symbolically associated with the glory of heaven. Hence, it is the place where the mysteries of the history of salvation or the saints who, being already in heaven, share in the glory of God are represented.
On the right is the image of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms. It represents the mysteries of the Lord’s childhood, the divine motherhood of Saint Mary, and the spiritual motherhood of Saint Mary over all Christians, in particular, and over the mystical body of Jesus Christ, which is the Church, in general.
Above the altar is a crucifix. It reminds us that in the celebration of Holy Mass, the sacrifice of his death and resurrection is made present.
On the left, on the north wall, is a representation of the risen Jesus Christ.
At the back of the presbytery is the image of Jesus Christ in Majesty, which has already been mentioned.
It is worth noting that the images in the presbytery represent several of the dogmas of faith that the Catholic Church’s Creed includes about Jesus Christ:
«(…) that for us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the power of the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man; and for our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried, and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; and he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end» (from the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed).
Between the image of the Risen Christ and that of Jesus Christ in Majesty is the image of Saint Ferdinand, patron saint of the parish. He is depicted standing before the majesty of Jesus Christ, King of Kings. The symbols with which he is represented are similar to those in the image at the entrance, which have already been described. Of particular note is the cross he wears on his chest.
Bas-relief of Saint Ferdinand. On the east wall, there is a bas-relief composed of several images significant in the life of Saint Ferdinand. At the bottom of the bas-relief, two sentences attributed to the saint can be read.
At the top, there are four images. In the left and right corners, the cathedrals of León and Burgos are represented, respectively. Saint Ferdinand promoted the construction of the cathedral of León, which had already begun during his father’s reign, and initiated the construction of the cathedral of Burgos. The two central images are dedicated to the Parish of Saint Ferdinand and to the monstrance used in the parish at the time the bas-relief was made. The monstrance is held by two angels.
San Fernando stood out for his Eucharistic piety at a time in history when this was not common. Hence, on the right-hand side of the lower part, he is depicted in adoration, leaving at the feet of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, on a cushion, the attributes that characterize him as king: the crown, the globe (sign of temporal power), and the sword. On the left of the lower part, Saint Ferdinand is depicted serving Holy Thursday dinner to a group of poor people. This is a tradition that he inaugurated in the Spanish royal household and which continued until the time of King Alfonso XIII. The representation is clearly inspired by the painting by Antonio Casanova y Estorach, which is kept in the Prado Museum. In the center, on a column, there is an image of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms. Saint Ferdinand was a great devotee of the Mother of God throughout his life.
Holy water font. The holy water font is located near the entrance. The use of holy water to bless oneself upon entering the temple is a sacramental. It also helps the faithful to remember that, in their day, they entered the Church (represented by the building) through the water of baptism and the sign of the cross with which they were marked at their baptism.
The holy water font is circular in shape and framed within a square-shaped methacrylate. It reflects the layout of the baptismal font which, as we shall see, is circular in shape and located in the center of a square-shaped chapel.
The Good Shepherd is depicted above the holy water font. Psalm 22 (“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…”) is known as “the psalm of the Good Shepherd” and is the baptismal psalm par excellence. Since time immemorial, the Church has proclaimed it at baptisms. If modern audiovisual culture associates it more with funerals, it is because, at funerals, the Church proclaims that the deceased was sacramentally introduced into eternal life through baptism.
The upper part of the image of the Good Shepherd is adorned with the same motif of circles that has been used on the altar, the ambo, and the seat. Its use has the same symbolic intention.
Stained glass windows. There are two stained glass windows in the main nave, in addition to the one covering the east wall of the baptismal chapel. All three are abstract, non-figurative in style. However, it is possible to propose an interpretation of what they represent.
On the triangular south wall, a movement from left to right is depicted. From the dark reality, represented on the left, a circular shape emerges, made of that dark matter, which enters a luminous realm on the right. In traditional Christian iconography, light and golden tones are associated with divinity. As mentioned above, circular shapes are also associated with the divine. Hence, the stained glass window can be interpreted as a representation of creation or the history of salvation: created reality is introduced into the light of existence and communion with God.
On the rectangular west wall, an upward movement is depicted. From the darkness below, a luminous reality emerges, passing through and opening up three shapes that become progressively less dark in color. In accordance with what has been said about the previous window, it can be interpreted as a representation of the Resurrection of the Lord on the third day, or of the new creation, the new heavens and the new earth spoken of in Revelation (cf. Rev 21:1), announced by Isaiah (cf. Is 65:17).
Bricks. A detail that may seem minor and easily overlooked is the arrangement of the bricks. On all the walls of the main nave, the bricks are laid horizontally, except in those places where there is a space indicating an objective encounter with the divine. In those places, the bricks are laid vertically. In this way, the architecture indicates that the encounter is objective, that is, that it really happens even if it is not accompanied by the subjective emotion of the faithful.
Thus, the vertical bricks above the entrances to the temple remind us that, upon entering, the faithful have entered a sacred space. Remember what was said about the roofs and the eighth day. Similarly, bricks are arranged vertically throughout the presbytery, at the entrance to the baptismal chapel, and at the entrance to the tabernacle chapel, where the Eucharistic reserve is kept.
BAPTISMAL CHAPEL.
Like the main nave, the baptismal chapel has a square floor plan. In its center is the round baptismal font. Remember what was said earlier about the shape of the holy water font and the symbolism of the square and the circle.
To access the baptismal font, it is necessary to descend a step. This element has a very long tradition in ancient baptismal fonts. The descent (and subsequent ascent, after baptism) symbolically refers to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through baptism, Christians are sacramentally associated with the mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection. As St. Paul says in his letter to the Romans: «Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so too we might live a new life» (Rom 6:3-4).
Around the baptismal font are the ritual words with which the sacrament of baptism is celebrated: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
The east wall of the baptismal chapel is completely covered by a stained-glass window. To interpret what is represented in it, two things need to be brought up.
First, remember that through the sacrament of baptism, Christians are indissolubly linked to the Son (Jesus Christ) as brothers and sisters and members of his mystical body (the Church). As brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, Christians receive divine adoption and become children of God. Furthermore, by being incorporated into this paternal-filial relationship between the Father and the Son, Christians become temples of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity and is the relationship of love between the Father and the Son.
Secondly, remember what was said earlier about how circular shapes are associated with the divine, and how the color gold, in traditional Christian iconography, is associated with divinity.
Based on the above, it is possible to interpret the stained glass window as a representation of the mystery of baptism. It depicts the union of two realms, the upper and the lower, separated by a strip that clearly divides the window into these two areas. In art history, there are many examples of similar representations of this type of composition, which is often referred to as a “break of glory”. The Father is represented in the golden circle at the top. Jesus Christ, with whom Christians are associated through baptism, is represented in the white circle at the bottom. And in the two vertical lines that unite the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is represented. From the Father emerges an inverted V-shaped movement that unites him with the Son and those who, through baptism, are incorporated into the Son.
In the baptismal chapel there are two sculptures: a crucifix and an image of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms. The crucifix alludes to what was said earlier about baptism as an association with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For its part, the image of the Virgin Mary in the baptismal chapel recalls her spiritual motherhood over each of the baptised. The simplification of the forms sought by the sculptor is striking. The image of the Virgin Mary has her hair tied back in a bun, which is unusual in representations of the Mother of God. The baby Jesus, for his part, has his hands inside his tunic. When he extends his arms, the tunic takes on a shape that alludes to the cross. The austerity of the details is offset by the sweetness of the faces of the mother and child.
CHAPEL OF THE TABERNACLE.
Like the main nave and the baptismal chapel, the chapel of the tabernacle has a square floor plan. However, unlike the baptismal chapel, the chapel’s roof simulates a hipped roof, reinforcing its identity as a space with a specific function. The tabernacle chapel, as its name suggests, houses the Eucharistic reserve in the tabernacle. It also serves as a chapel for celebrations with fewer worshippers.
Unlike the presbytery of the main nave, the presbytery of the tabernacle chapel has an altarpiece. Its golden colour, as already mentioned, is associated with glory and divinity in traditional Christian iconography. The golden colour and vertical lines may allude to a wheat field. These lines create an upward dynamic (remember what was said about the arrangement of the bricks on the walls). There are also horizontal lines that balance the composition and may allude to a horizon. The altarpiece features small rounded shapes with a cross inside, joined together. They may allude to grapes joined in bunches. There are also small square shapes, joined together, which may allude to the ears of wheat in the wheat field. Remember that the chapel of the tabernacle is a particularly Eucharistic environment and that wheat bread and grape wine are used to celebrate the Eucharist.
There are two niches in the altarpiece. The one on the left is flanked by the Latin words “Ave” and “Maria”, taken from the account of the Annunciation in the Gospel according to St Luke (cf. Lk 1:28). The sculptor has used a combination of upper and lower case letters, both ancient and modern. In this niche there is a classic image of the Virgin Mary representing her as the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, and the woman of the Apocalypse (‘A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet’ (Rev 12:1). In the right-hand niche there is an image of St Joseph with the child Jesus. God entrusted St Joseph with the care of Jesus as his adoptive father and guardian.
In the centre of the altarpiece is the tabernacle, which is cube-shaped. The front of the tabernacle, which is square in shape, has the Greek letters ‘Alpha’ and ‘Omega’ in the centre, framed by a box of small crosses. Remember what was said earlier on this subject when discussing the image of Jesus in majesty: “Alpha and Omega” (cf. Rev 1:8) is a name that Jesus applies to himself in the Apocalypse. The one represented in the image at the back of the presbytery of the main nave is the same one who is present, under the Eucharistic species, in the tabernacle.
The front of the tabernacle is decorated with geometric motifs and circular designs, which seem to be inspired by flowers or stars, and which are framed within squares.
In front of the tabernacle is the altar of the chapel. It is golden, like the altar of heaven, as described in the Apocalypse (cf. Rev 8:3). It is decorated with motifs similar to those on the altar in the presbytery of the main nave. At the front, it has a Christogram, a Christological symbol formed by two Greek capital letters: a “Chi” (similar to an “X”) and a “Rho” (similar to a “P”). In Greek, these are the first two letters of the word “Christ”.
PENITENTIAL AREA
At the rear, the chapel of the tabernacle is connected to the penitential area, where the penitential chapels or confessionals are located. The sacrament of confession, also known as the sacrament of forgiveness or reconciliation, is normally celebrated inside the confessionals.
This area has a rectangular floor plan and is very functional in nature. On the doors of the confessionals there are crosses that remind us of the sacred nature of the penitential chapels or confessionals. Each one is presided over, on the inside, by a crucifix.
AUTHORS OF THE WORKS
Architect: don Luis Cubillo de Arteaga (1921-2000).
Glassmaker: don Arcadio Blasco Pastor (1928-2013).
Sculptors.
Don José Luis Sánchez Fernández (1926-2018). Together with the two previous authors, he is the third member of the first team that worked on the construction of the parish centre. He created the image of San Fernando in the atrium and the embellishments on the handles of the atrium doors. In the main nave, he did all the sculptural work on the altar, the seat and the ambo, as well as the bases for the altar candles and the Stations of the Cross. In the baptismal chapel, he created the baptismal font, the image of the Virgin Mary with the Child, and the Christ on the crucifix in the baptismal chapel. Finally, in the tabernacle chapel, he created the altar, the altarpiece and the tabernacle.
In 2014, don Javier Tudanca created the image of the Good Shepherd (on the holy water font), the Risen Christ (to the left of the presbytery), and the bas-relief of Saint Ferdinand (on the east wall of the main nave).
The image of Saint Ferdinand (to the left of the presbytery) is an authorised, slightly modified reproduction of a work in the chapel of the bishopric of Ávila. The original work is attributed to a sculptor named Salas, who worked in the 1940s and 1950s.
The image of Jesus Christ in Majesty (at the back of the presbytery) is an authorised and enlarged reproduction of an original work by Juan José Ronco Villa.