After more than four centuries, the Dominicans have left the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Las Caldas de Besaya in Cantabria, Spain. Last Sunday, the Dominicans formally entrusted the sanctuary to the Diocese of Santander. The church will remain a place of worship. The property continues to belong to the Dominicans. But the resident Dominican community - once one of the Order’s important houses in Spain - has come to an end. The scale of the change is captured by Fr. Francisco García Ortega OP, the last superior of the community. He entered the Dominican Order at Las Caldas 55 years ago, aged 17. At the time, the sanctuary housed Dominican philosophical studies. “We were more than 200 friars, and now we are only two,” García Ortega told DiocesisDeSantander.com. Those two are García Ortega and Fr. Fernando Serrano Pérez OP, who has served at Las Caldas for about 30 years. The Dominicans first came to Las Caldas in the early 17th century. Fr García Ortega noted that during four centuries …

After more than four centuries, the Dominicans have left the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Las Caldas de Besaya in Cantabria, Spain.

Last Sunday, the Dominicans formally entrusted the sanctuary to the Diocese of Santander.

The church will remain a place of worship. The property continues to belong to the Dominicans. But the resident Dominican community - once one of the Order’s important houses in Spain - has come to an end.

The scale of the change is captured by Fr. Francisco García Ortega OP, the last superior of the community.

He entered the Dominican Order at Las Caldas 55 years ago, aged 17. At the time, the sanctuary housed Dominican philosophical studies.

“We were more than 200 friars, and now we are only two,” García Ortega told DiocesisDeSantander.com. Those two are García Ortega and Fr. Fernando Serrano Pérez OP, who has served at Las Caldas for about 30 years.

The Dominicans first came to Las Caldas in the early 17th century. Fr García Ortega noted that during four centuries they had previously left only twice: during the 19th-century confiscations and during the Spanish Civil War, when the Dominican friars were killed.

On both occasions, Dominican life at Las Caldas was eventually restored. This time looks different.

The departure also reflects the wider contraction of the Dominican presence in Cantabria. The Order once had communities or ministries in Potes, Ajo, Santillana, Las Caldas, Montesclaros and Torrelavega. Now, only a small presence at Montesclaros remains.

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