The Anguishes

Pontifical, Royal and Centenary Brotherhood and Confraternity of Our Lady of Anguish Crowned.

History

The fundamental fact about this brotherhood is its age and continuity, as it is the oldest of all and has not suffered any interruption throughout its history. Moreover, the Confraternity of Anguish is also the only one in the capital whose titular image is the work of Juan de Mesa, who carved it nearly 380 years ago.

Its antiquity is also evidenced by the link between the introducer of the practice of the Way of the Cross, Saint Álvaro of Córdoba, and the Virgin of Anguish herself. The foundation of the brotherhood predates the work of the Cordoban sculptor. Thus, on March 13, 1558, a unified group of 50 confreres took possession of the Chapel of La Magdalena in the Convent of San Agustín and founded the brotherhood.

During this initial period, the most noteworthy event was the reception of King Philip II as a member of the confraternity. The growth was such that the governing board decided to entrust Juan de Mesa with the carving of Our Lady of Anguish. The commission was made by Superior Friar Alonso de Rojas through the provincial father of the Augustinians, either due to his residence in Seville or trust in his judgment.

Ownership of the image was the subject of dispute between the brothers of the confraternity and the Augustinian friars, who claimed De Mesa’s work in the 18th century. The confraternity was able to prove that the friars were mere intermediaries and that the image had been paid for with money from the brotherhood, collected through the alms of the faithful. The cost of the images was 4,003 reales, according to the valuation by the Justice of Seville, a considerable effort for the confraternity.

Temple

Church of San Agustín. It is one of the churches commissioned by Ferdinand III the Saint after the reconquest of the city in 1236.

The Titular Images

Our Lady of Anguish Crowned

Undoubtedly, the image with the greatest historical and artistic value in the Holy Week of Córdoba is Our Lady of Anguish Crowned, the work of the Cordoban artist Juan de Mesa y Velasco, created around the year 1627. Consumed by his serious illness, tuberculosis, he spent his final days carving this masterpiece of Spanish Baroque imagery for his city, as he wished.

It is a sculptural group composed of two full-size figures, representing Christ dead in the lap of His mother, after being taken down from the Cross, which appears behind them.

The Virgin has articulated arms to facilitate dressing and positioning of the Lord. Her left foot rests on a rock, allowing for a knee movement that helps support the Lord. Her face, reddened from restrained exhaustion and pain, displays half-open eyes of admirable craftsmanship, shedding numerous tears that glide down the soft skin of her cheeks.

Her straight eyebrows have tiny indentations around their contours, showing a slightly furrowed brow with great elegance; the same is true for the treatment of the mouth, half-open, with refined and distinguished lips, or the nose, straight yet slightly flattened. Mesa was able to imprint a unique character on this sorrowful Virgin, much loved and admired by the people of Córdoba.

When addressing the image of the Lord, it is necessary to mention certain anatomical features. For a traditional Pietà group, His torso is overly curved, His legs less bent than usual, and His right arm extended rather than hanging down.

According to Don Alberto Villar, it may be a Christ of the Descent, or a scene of the Burial. What is clear is that everything seems to indicate that Juan de Mesa used an already existing image to complete this sculptural group.

Also noteworthy is the splendid treatment of the cloth in the loincloth, knotted on the right side, as well as the conception of the hair and beard, composed of fine wavy strands.

His face, though lifeless, conveys extraordinary drama, as seen in the visible pupils within the half-open eyes or the eyebrows, which seem to reflect tension when serenity should prevail.

Nazarene Habit

Black tunic, black face cover with purple satin trim between two golden braids, black cape with purple lining, and purple and yellow cord with golden tassels.

Notable Insignias

Magnificent collection of insignias with silver metalwork by Díaz Roncero and designs by Mora Valle. Notable pieces include the Processional Cross (1962), lanterns (1963), maces (1965), and the elder brother’s staff (1964), topped with a reproduction of the image of the Lord.

Other notable insignias are the trumpets (1957), made of silver-plated metal by Nieto and Membrillo with embroidered cloths by the Adoratrices, as well as the banners of the Seven Words (1938), the pontifical banner (1950), and the flag of the brotherhood itself (1962).