La Soledad de San Buenaventura marks 175 years of devotion

The image of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, of the Hermandad de la Soledad de San Buenaventura, turns 175 years old. The conventual church of San Buenaventura hosted this Sunday, November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, an anniversary mass presided over by the archbishop of Seville, José Ángel Saiz Meneses, as reported by the Archdiocese. The carving is the work of Gabriel de Astorga Miranda and was blessed on April 11, 1851. The archbishop recalled that journey in his homily: «Since then, generations of Sevillians have raised their eyes toward her seeking the consolation of a Mother». And he added that, despite changes in customs and circumstances, «what truly matters remains: Christ, his saving Cross and the maternal presence of Mary». Saiz Meneses focused much of his address on holiness as the goal of every baptized person and on the role of the brotherhoods on that path. «Everything else finds its meaning there», he said regarding the liturgies, the station of penance, the heritage, formation, charity and the preservation of traditions. He also asked that the anniversary serve as spiritual renewal: «Do not be afraid to aspire to holiness. Do not settle for a mediocre Christian life». During the mass there was a remembrance for the brothers who have died in these 175 years and, at the end, the hermano mayor, José Ramón Losada Fernández, thanked the archbishop for his presence and had words for the victims of the Urda train accident. Afterwards, in the brotherhood's premises, the prelate signed the Book of Honor.