Parroquia y Convento Sagrada Familia (Pego)

Religious

It was founded in 1664. It occupied what are now the offices of the local police and nursing home. It had a church with a single nave, wide and capable. The convent was solid, with a tiny central patio, of extremely simple Renaissance style, from the second alcantarina period. Life in this convent was quiet until the nineteenth century, when the Community had to dissolve during the French invasion. After this, the religious gathered again until they were exclaustrated in 1835 for the confiscation of Mendizabal. The City Council seized the building, which was assigned to First Instance Court, jail and hospital. The church remained open to worship and served by the exclaustrated religious. One of those religious, Fr. Pedro Barrachina, set up a public school. The restoration of the convent of Pego was due to the initiative of priests of the town who urged the superiors to reopen the convent. In 1891 Cardinal Monescillo, Archbishop of Valencia signed the opening license. At the end of the same year two religious arrived, who settled provisionally in the house of the priest D. Pascual Server. In 1892 the first stone of the new convent was laid. He directed the works Fray Mateo Company, according to the plans of the architect D. Joaquín Arnau. The church, of Gothic style, was blessed in 1901 and dedicated to the Holy Family. Until 1909 the Franciscan major seminary was in this convent. In 1910 the square was arranged in front of the convent and a Via Crucis was erected. Conventual schools were legalized. In 1925 an organ was acquired and the altarpieces of the lateral chapels were gilded. In 1929 the main altar was reformed. During the Republic of 1931-36 the house of Pego was not closed and it was destined to novitiate. But in 1936 the building was occupied by the Communists, and the faithful Bonaventura Botella, Antonio Ribera and Sebastián Ferrer died martyrs of the faith. On April 9, 39 the church was reconciled, opening to the cult. The high altar could be restored in 1942. It was erected parish in 1953.