So with this prose castiza trying to convey to readers a picture of mediocrity was referring D. Benito Pérez Galdós the building of this church in his novel "Mercy" 1 in our opinion, one of the most enigmatic of the great author. Temple
this, one of the Madrid's most important historically, which as the authors of "mother church" 2 "has primed the bad luck," because during the civil war was assaulted and burned by the mob, losing all their altars and altarpieces and on top of the destruction was bombed three Franco in aviation on the night of 19 to 20 November 1936, collapsing the central nave and most of the chapels and left standing only the tower and a few ruins, as show the number of photographs held in the Archive Moreno 4 . The Committee on Reform, Reconstruction and Sanitation Madrid created by the Government of the Republic (Decree of April 2, 1937) addressed the reconstruction of the church of San Sebastian trying to keep the chapels of the actors and architects, the least damaged by bombing. Finally, after the civil war, the church was rebuilt, or rather made new, single wide nave, by the architect Francisco Iñiguez Almech between 1943 and 1959, completely changing its orientation and tuck dismantling the tower, leaving the unfinished work. The new temple was opened for worship on May 7, 1959. Ten years later on 10 October 1969 (BOE 28-10) was declared of Cultural Interest the category of care Monument the surviving architectural elements and especially its rich parish archives.
These vicissitudes of contemporary history we avoid the description of the church as it was before his near-total destruction, yet we felt it appropriate to have even briefly some features of its history and shed some light about the works of art that it contained. History
The parish church of San Sebastian was founded in 1550 5 (Mesonero Romans, Peñasco and Cambronero, Pedro de repid, José del Corral ...), due to the expansion of the membership of the parish Santa Cruz by increasing of the population. Repid provides the data, perhaps taken from Peñasco and Cambronero, that the pastor of Santa Cruz, the lawyer John French, got that it should be an independent parish for "accommodating" to his nephew. The new parish took the name of San Sebastian for a chapel dedicated to this holy martyr, who was below Anton Martin, on the way to the shrine of Nuestra Senora de Atocha. The importance of this parish over the following centuries showing not only the number of baptisms, marriages and dead whose names appear in the parish 6 , some men and women (these many less) de fama, sino además el hecho singular de que una vez perdido el derecho de asilo en todas las demás iglesias, esta, junto con la de San Luis, fueron las únicas de Madrid que podían acoger en sagrado a los perseguidos por la justicia.
A tenor de lo que escriben los autores de “Iglesias antiguas de Madrid”, los solares para la construcción de la nueva iglesia de San Sebastián se compraron el 16 de julio de 1553 “costando la cantidad de 60.375 maravedís costeados por el vecino de Madrid, Hernando de Somonte”. Este mismo año o al siguiente comenzaron las obras encomendadas al maestro Antonio Sillero, alarife de Madrid y que no concluyeron hasta 1578, quedando solo para después la parte decorative. Subsequently, work continued with the construction of the chapel, sacristy, cemetery. Successive enlargements were executed by the master builders of Antonio de la Tijera, Juan de Bulga Valdelastras and Juan de Obregón between 1595 and 1598 7. According to Bonet Correa 8, the main body of the church was in 1608 but between 1665 and 1674 were construction, which probably made the Baroque decoration of the pillars, arches and key ring brackets on the top. The tower, high and slender, similar to that of San Ginés, began between 1612 and 1613, being the developer Lucas Hernández. In the eighteenth century styled Churriguera door, the altarpiece and finalized the three naves of the church.
This was a simple design, with two courts of entry, one that gave the Atocha street, called the Priest "because he had a door leading to the house of the priest" and the other on the streets of Huertas, call offices "because there had access to the office or parish office, the latter, a day early 9 cemetery, with a long passageway that led to the lower church 10
The main facade, as seen in early photography, left, had a statue of San Sebastian, one to which Galdós saw "in attitude rather than a religious dancing" - original Luis Salvador Carmona and Gregorio de Salas devoted to these limericks "Saint of both" value
you do in such a pediment?
I believe in fact that unless the Hospice
can not be worse "
Over the centuries the church was embellished and completed with beautiful artwork and added chapels, among which were the main ones following:
- Chapel by Julian Barcenilla between 1787 and 1788.
- Capilla del Cristo de la Fe (on the left was coming through the auction of Atocha). Pedro Arnal Project 1793. was decorated with black marble, bronze lamps, all in unique style, and paintings by Antonio González Ruiz alluding to the legend and history of Santa Cruz. The image on the altar of the columns was a work of Angel Monastery "who died fighting for the independence of Argentina" 11 and known in Madrid as the Christ of the Alabarderos or Guards, under a well-known legend 12 . The chapel of the Faith was buried sainetero D. Ramon de la Cruz.
Bethlehem Chapel or Architects. Ownership of these and adorned with "pillars, marble, big flowers and cherubs." Here was a group of "The Flight into Egypt" by Mena. It was built by Francisco Moreno in 1693 and remodeled by Ventura Rodríguez in 1766-1768. Two headstones, arranged by the College of Architects in the twenties of last century, recalls that in its vault are buried architect Ventura Rodríguez and Juan de Villanueva.
- Chapel or Ninth Comics, founded, as that the brotherhood of the same name, by various actors in the seventeenth century 13, whose work began in 1662 and was completed in 1671, and was remade by Silvestre Perez century? Had "a lot of paintings, decorative total Alonso del Arco" 14
- Chapel of Mercy, with good pictures of English school.
completely out of place would be the least mention of the many works of art contained in this temple before its almost total destruction, so that either directly drawn upon this information, we headed to visit this church located in Atocha street number 39 and returning to the streets of San Sebastian.
The main entrance facing the street Atocha is nothing particular. An arch leads to the atrium after crossing a modern grid.
More interesting is the cover that faces the street of San Sebastián largely carried the remains of the former home of Atocha Street. It consists of two Ionic columns that frame the upper niche and sustain the pediment. At its center houses a modern sculpture of the saint, the work of Antonio Martínez Méndez. The primitive Luis Salvador Carmona was destroyed during the civil war preserved Fortunately the head of the saint in the house of a parishioner, and then we will see. Interior
Entering the calle de Atocha we are, first, left the chapel of Christ the Alabarderos, which is closed so that we can not access it and see the current image as I read in the guidelines was undertaken in 2002 by the Brothers Horche Martinez of Guadalajara. The image above dates from 1806 and another after that, 1941 was made by the Catalan sculptor Ricardo Font.
court in this area there are four plates from left to 
right, the first, Ceramic on characters who were married in this church, the second marble effigy of the Holy Wonders of Jesus with the caption: "SANTA WONDERLAND OF JESUS \u200b\u200b/ Baptized 12.11.1891 / IN THIS PARISH / Canonized in MADRID / POR EL PAPA JUAN PABLO II EL 4.VI 2003. " The third, also of stone, dated March 19, 2007 remembers these words epigraphs to the "servant of God and Noguerol Luis Trelles, 1819-1891, lawyer, journalist and politician, founder of the Nocturnal Adoration in Spain, the apostle of Charity in the Third Carlist War, married in this parish, 19 March 1868 with Square Abelarda Retana and named it their three children. " The fourth and final plate, ceramic related baptized dead and marriages contained in the records of the parish. On the same side to the right a wood paneled door, also closed, communicates with the Real Architect of Our Lady of Bethlehem in the Flight into Egypt.
Accessing the temple, we found that it has two distinct parts. The new part, which is the central nave and the old, with hoods survivors of the destruction to the left of this. L
a central nave is comprehensive and well lit. The dome, on scallops, blanket plaster sculptures of the Four Evangelists with their tetramorfos, designed by Antonio de la Cruz Collado (1905-1962), noted sculptor of Madrid, to whom must surely salvation during the civil war years of artistic heritage Cerralbo Museum which was conservative. This dome is made up of nerves that crisscross and its center is the lantern set on lunettes.
The altar, very horrible, indeed, 
is contemporary work by Talleres de Arte Granda of Madrid. In the center is a huge sculpture of San Sebastian de la Cruz said Antonio Collado trying to mimic that of Alonso Berruguete for the Convento de San Benito de Valladolid (now the Museum of Sculpture of this Castilian city). A Calvary tops all made by sculptor Luis Ortega Bru Seville (1916-1982) who for a time was master of sculpture in the Art Workshops Granda. I have read that the crucified Christ is similar to the Health and Charity who is in the chapel of Montesión, originally attached to the convent of the Dominicans in this city. Set up temporarily, relying on the monstrance is an interesting picture of the Madonna and Child by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato, Italian Baroque painter (1609-1655), famous for his devotional paintings. This may be one of the many copies made by the workshops the painter on the same subject. A left and right, respectively, two paintings on the wall uninteresting. A canvas left San Fernando in prayer, a copy of Murillo composition of the same subject in the Prado Museum, by Morelli and Victor Sánchez Gil, contemporary painter (1860-1936) and a parishioner of this parish, whose wife Josefina Vives Sanz donated to the parish on the death of your spouse. On the left an angel and Child, signed quite deteriorated and Suárez Sánchez.
Buried in the contemplation of these items onboard a friendly priest who immediately entered into friendly conversation. It is also a priest, a painter and quality, as evidence painting of the Holy Wonders then comment. Seeing my interest in the church, the sacristy leads me and showed me an interesting piece: the head of the statue of San Sebastian of the main facade, destroyed during the war and was saved only this fragment picked up by a parishioner and then his family, surnamed Monastery, has returned to the church.
Returning to the nave, start the tour of the side altars in this modern area starting from the left as you enter the temple. The first objects
lack of artistic interest: They are a plaster and crucified next to a small and of poor quality, but old, with Abrazo de San Francisco de Asis the Crucified, donated, as read with difficulty, by the sons of Luis Valdez Escribano.
Then follows the altar dedicated to Mother Wonders in the center of the painting is modern (2007) of Santa, Ricardo Sanjuán work as it is called our new friend, the painter priest, a true artist. This space is exposed within a photocopy of the certificate of baptism of Mother Maravillas, dated November 12, 1891, a medallion with the figure of Mother Maravillas, biographical note 15 holy relic and his .
then copy the Adoration of the Shepherds of Murillo's Prado Museum and a plaque below memorial with the inscription: "In memory of Mr. Rvdos Pastors who promoted and eventually construction of the parish church Dr. D. Hilario Herrera Stable / Dr. D. Manuel Herranz Stable and all the parishioners that contributed to the ornamental alms of the church of San Sebastian. Tribute of gratitude. BMSV AMDG and December 1967. "
Crossing the closed door of San Sebastian, there is an interesting picture of Dionisio Mantuano, Bolognese painter of the seventeenth century with a reputation for good artist who lived twenty years in Madrid during the reign of Philip IV and Charles II. It is a martyrdom of St. Sebastian, literal interpretation of a print created on composition Flemish Mannerist Hans van Aachen, which is in the church of the holy martyr in Munich. This is followed by a tableau of plaster with small sizes of Oblivion Christ and Our Lady of Sorrows, the head of an ancient extinct Brotherhood.
Over the door of the sacristy, painting of the Immaculate Conception, Matthias Ximeno, Madrid painter of the seventeenth century, praised by Ponz. In the sacristy filipino keep an ivory crucifix and a small size of San Sebastián quite interesting.
Turning to the opposite side of the ship, the best painting of the temple, "Preparing for the martyrdom of St. Sebastian, by Luca Giordano that Tormo, always severe, judged "interesting."
Following our tour of this side altar of St. Joseph, size, pretty bad, from Alicante Vicens Jose Luis Molto, imitating John Adam in San Ginés. Beside him, correct copy of the Immaculate Tiepolo Prado Museum, by Mary Frances Llorente. Turning to the ancient temple area, toward the feet of Christ crucified Morelli, donated by his widow. Under this, a headstone placed by the English Royal Academy in 1959 reminds us that "here was buried Lope de Vega, the great poet and father of Hispanic theater on August XXVII MDCXXXV" 16.
A 
l side is the altarpiece of the English Actors Congregation of Our Lady of the Ninth, with the table owner of the Virgen del Silencio, the work of Christopher Hernández. Raised between the columns of the altarpiece, the statues of saints comedians, and Juan Ginés Well. Following the foot of the temple, a copy of XIX of San Sebastian by Guido Reni of the Prado Museum.
To his view can not but recall the writings of Galdós in his wandering through the temples Madrid:
"In the parish of San Sebastian for a while I contemplate the image of my friend, the Holy Martyr riddled with arrows that its niche seems to invite the fiieles Madrid to join the church. Obey, it is my pleasure to scrutinize the temples of Madrid, and I'm entitled to take a look at Our Lady of the Ninth, the object of particular veneration as my patron saint is of special guardian Theatre and models living celebrities. Precious was the Virgin, adorned the altar bouquets that offend comedians. Beside him was the friendly actors and San Juan San Ginés Well that went to heaven after stepping on the stage. " 17
We go back to enter the ancient temple. Firstly, right, we find the chapel Architects of Our Lady of Bethlehem, fully glassed, making it difficult to view the reflected images on the glass opposite. We therefore have to be postponed for more favorable time contemplating the interior of the dome which, as we read, is made from scallops ornate coffered and heads of angels, of great beauty. In the header, I see that there is a mural by José Vaquero Turcios representing the Flight into Egypt and to the right group with the same issue of Antonio de la Cruz Collado, inspired by the previous lost Luis Salvador Carmona.
Before this chapel is a statue of the Virgen del Carmen, non-art and in front altar of the Virgin of Pilar, modern flanked by St. Pancras and St. Lucia. Beside this last, small altarpieces with a picture of Our Lady the Virgin of Perpetual Help.
The old chapel, now the Sacred Heart, has a common altar with a tabernacle, made by Pedro José Villalba, bronze-smith, following a sketch that some guidance Almech Iñiguez "very interesting." In this area hang two old paintings: Mateo Cerezo Immaculate and St. Jerome Penitent Antonio de Pereda, both from the XVII. I think the attribution of the respective artists to estrus can be bold.
Finally, the left is Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy, owner of an old fraternity 18. The carving of the Virgin is modern, the sculptor Victor Talavera González Gil (1912-1992) repeating pattern of loss in war, but it seems that preserves the old clothes. Next two paintings by Luca Giordano or perhaps more of their school, their presentation in the temple, and circumcision.
I have not visited the archives which is one of the richest in Madrid and contains birth, marriage and death of countless artists, writers, politicians, military etc. whose relationship would be inexhaustible.
So far our first visit to this for us, unknown church of San Sebastian. I say first visit, because I do firm intention of returning to see the two shrines unvisited and, if possible, to know something more of the interesting parish archive.
© Manuel Martínez Bargueño
October, 2009 ( last update in January 2010 )
3. Antonio Velasco Zazo, chronicler of the town refers to the desecration and looting of the church by the "red" and instead says nothing about the air strike of the "national." Moreover, it provides the information in 1949-and it takes nerve-took place on the ruins of this church, a funeral for the fallen, organized by the Congregation of Our Lady of the Ninth (Antonio Velasco Zazo. Precincts sacred Madrid, 1951. Co-publication of the City of Madrid and edits The Bookseller, 2003, p. 297.
4. In the church of San Sebastian, extensively documented by Vicente Moreno, a series of photos illustrating their status before the bombing, the appearance of what was left after the destruction and the work carried out for reconstruction (The Browns . Photographers of art. Eduardo Segovia. Teresa Zaragoza. Ministry of Culture. English Historical Heritage Institute, 2005. p-28. The file Moreno, composed of a collection of 56,061 n quences was acquired by the State in 1955 and is now integrated the so-called Heritage Photo Library Institute of English Historical Heritage
5. Other sources give a date of its founding on May 1, 1541, by Cardinal Tavera, archbishop of Toledo (Garcia Gutierrez / Martínez Carbajo, op. Cit p. 351. Tormo noted that in 1541 and was parochial. Possibly this date (1541) was an addition to the parish of Santa Cruz, not elevated to a separate parish until 1550.6. Matías Fernández García, priest, published a book "Parroquia de San Sebastián Madrid. Some characters your file (Caparros publishers, 1995) in which, based on research in the parish archives, provides biographical information on more than 2,500 people "belonging to letters," as Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and Larra-Benavente, art, music "related to this parish. The book is very interesting and contains many biographical details about these celebrities.
7. Data taken from Wikipedia.
10. Velasco Zazo, op. cit. 293
11. Elias Tormo "The churches of old Madrid." Reissue of the two issues published in 1927. Foreword by the Marquis de Lozoya. Notes Maria Elena Gomez Moreno. Institute of Spain, 1972. p.213.
12. So what has Pedro de repid: "A guard Corps, attracted a gallant quoted in an old palace on the Calle del Sacramento, saw himself compelled to climb down from a balcony using his shoulder silver, and when he returned to the scene of his adventure he found himself the cruelest disappointment in the ramshackle mansion, and only as a pledge and a sign that had not had a dream, her silver sling hanging from the balcony. For many years the bodyguard shoulder was seen at the foot of the crucifix, which was to put the troubled lover. And the Christ appears in the famous Good Friday procession accompanied by the Beefeaters "(Pedro de repid." The Streets of Madrid "Afrodisio Aguado, Fourth Edition 1981 p. .61).
13 . "Tradition has it that in 1624 there were heretics in to stab an image of the Virgin was placed on Leon Street, corner of Santa Maria. Devotees of this image comedians of the Cross and the Prince, the renovated building in 1662 the chapel which is at the foot of the church, in the part that faces the street de las Huertas. The devotion of the actors to recognize this picture because the miracle that worked with an actress, that his inability, offered a novena to the Virgin and having met, was found nine days to complete and sound as good as before his illness. " So at least I have Peñasco and Cambronero, op.cit. pp.80-81. Let us add that the original owner of the image name was Carlos veluti outraged that it was his son Peter who gave the image the church on July 21 about the actress 1624.En miraculously healed was called the Catalina Flores (or was the mother of this "and was married to a peddler named Lázaro Ramírez, residing in Leon Street. Finally comedians who determined to found the Brotherhood of the Virgin of the Ninth were Christopher Avendano, Lorenzo House Hurtado, Miguel Alvarez Vallejo , Tomás Fernández de Cabredo and Andres de la Vega.
14. Elías Tormo, op. cit. p.211
15. Maravillas Pidal y Chico de Guzman was born in Madrid on November 4, 1891. His parents were Luis Pidal y Mon, Marquis of Pidal, an influential Catholic politician and Cristina Chico de Guzman. On October 12, 1919 entered the Caramel of El Escorial. On May 19, 1924, having received a divine inspiration, he founded the Caramel of the Cerro de los Angeles, followed by nine other Carmelite foundations in Spain and one in India. Without leaving the closure promoted social and apostolic works. On December 11, 1974 died at the Caramel of the Aldehuela (Madrid), the penultimate of the grounds for it and where it is buried. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Rome on May 10, 1998 and solemnly canonized in Madrid on May 4, 2003.
16. In the vault of this church was buried in 1635 Lope de Vega, in the recess of the third order, where his remains later confused with other dead buried there, in one of the many "peelings" or removals of bodies that shocked both to Mesonero Romans.
18. Don Jose del Corral writes: "The image of Our Lady of Mercy is of noble ancestry. It says it had worship in times of San Isidro. Anyway I was in the chapel, which later became the parish (1550), and had its own chapel in the new building. The Brotherhood also is very old and his first purpose was to bury those that died suddenly or violently in the town or a league of its walls, providing relief to poor patients with medical and pharmacy and accompanying inmates who were executed in the parish. It became Brotherhood in 1590. No memory of constitutions in 1611 and 1788 "(José del Corral. Madrid is. Graphical representation of the Town and Court II churches and convents of Madrid. 1955. Notes 23-25)
