On December 3, 2023, the small consecration of the Transfiguration Church took place in the municipality of Estepone (Andalusia, Spain). The rite of consecration and the Divine Liturgy were performed by the Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, the interim administrator of the Spanish-Portuguese Diocese, Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun and Western Europe.
The consecration of the temple was attended by the Mayor of Estepona, Jose Maria Garcia Urbano.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a procession was made around the church.
Then Vladyka Nestor addressed the audience in the church with a word of edification, in which he congratulated the clergy and laity of the Transfiguration Parish on the consecration of the church, especially noting the invaluable contribution of the church's curators and decorators, the leadership of the Orthodox Initiative Foundation. The bishop also welcomed the head of the municipality of Estepona and presented him with an icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord as a gift.
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The Transfiguration Church is the first Orthodox church built on the territory of Spanish Andalusia. Its construction began in the fall of 2018 and ended in the fall of 2020. The first church service was held in July 2023.
The construction and decoration of the temple was carried out with the support of the Orthodox Initiative Foundation. The project was developed in collaboration with the Spanish architects of the architectural bureau "Tobal", as well as the Spanish construction company "Hamena". The frescoes of the temple were made by the disciples of Archimandrite Zinon (Theodore).
The exterior of the newly consecrated church combines features of Orthodox architecture and modern architecture. The white smooth walls and laconic shapes combine with the surrounding landscape; the silver dome and the nine-meter bell tower emphasize the individuality of the temple. A modern cultural center has been built nearby, the architecture of which forms a single ensemble with the newly consecrated church.
The Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe consecrated the Transfiguration Church in Spanish Andalusia
05.12.2023, 08:00