The Ermita de Santa Elena in Caravaca de la Cruz

This small chapel has been used as a place of worship in Caravaca for 300 years

The Ermita de Santa Elena is a small church in Caravaca de la Cruz which is entered from Calle Canalejas and backs onto Calle Santa Elena, the current structure dating from the first quarter of the 18^th century. Of all of the small “ermitas” which were built at that time in Caravaca it is the only one which is still used as a place of worship and is still the headquarters of the Cofradía which first built it over 400 years ago.

As such, it still features in the processions of Semana Santa, principally that of Jesús Nazareno on the morning of Good Friday (Viernes Santo).

Building first began in 1612 under the supervision of Juan Fernández Piñero on behalf of the Cofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno y Santa Elena (founded in 1596) and its Mayordomo, Mateo de Pereda.

This original building was rebuilt in 1743, with the Camarín amplified in 1791.

Inside, the works of religious art include a sculpture of St John the Baptist by José Sánchez Lozano, a 20th century artist who followed the guidelines laid down by Francisco Salzillo 200 years previously and was responsible for many of the works which replaced those destroyed during the period of unrest prior to the Spanish Civil War.

The altar screen, which is the work of Agustín López, is dated 1707, and features the figure of “Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno”, whose feet are kissed by the faithful in a ceremony which is held on the first Friday of every March.  

Other figures featured in the local Easter Week processions include those representing Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, Santa Lucía, Santa Águeda, San José and “La Dolorosa”.

The church is in the corner of the Plaza de los Caballos del Vino (also known as the Plaza del Hoyo).

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