Present for the occasion were the local people and the ecclesiastical and civil  authorities as well as the architect of the new church and the Salesian Fr Jesús Arce, parish priest who spoke about the efforts made by all the district to have the church.

The new church to be built as the centre of 5,000 families will be ready in 2010. The faithful who accompanied the Bishop Vicente Jiménez for the blessing of the first stone were clearly pleased. Also present for the ceremony were the Vicar General Mgr. Manuel Herrero, the financial secretary José Olaiz, the Mayor of Santander Íñigo de la Serna and the local Councillor Santiago Recio.

Bishop Vicente Zamora emphasised that it will be a modern church, the first in the city with modern religious art, and that he was confident that the  construction of 1,100 square metres expected to take 18 months will conclude “as soon as possible.”

The Mayor of Santander thanked Bishop  Jiménez because the diocese had accepted responsibility for the cost which was expected to be two million euro, recalling that the local authorities had given the land and the people had made their own contribution.

Published 02/07/2009