The parish church "Santiago de Foz" is placed in the township of Foz (Lugo, Galicia, Northwest of Spain). It belongs to the diocese of Mondoñedo-Ferrol included in the Archipriestic of San Martiño de Mondoñedo. It is assisted by a priest from the diocese who is helped by several religious salesianos.

• MONASTIC ORDERS

3 religious communities work in the parish:

• Sisters of Congregación de Marta y María, who are in charge of the Elder Residence "Nosa Señora do Carme"
• Sisters " Franciscanas de la Purísima", who run the school "Nosa Señora do Pilar" (playschool, primary and secondary school) and work in the pastoral parish too.
• Religious "Salesianos", who run the school "Martínez Otero" (playschool, primary and secondary school) and work in the pastoral parish too.

• WORSHIP PLACES

Parishioners (about 5000 people) have three worship places available:

• Parish Church, in which most of the services take place.
• San Blas Chapel where Sunday celebrations for the Vilaxoane neighbourhood are held.
• Elder Residence "Nosa Señora do Carme", which offers the Sunday celebrations mainly for the neighbourhood of Marzán.

• MASS HOURS
• Daily and Holiday Eve
• Parish Church at 19:00 p.m.
• Elder Residence Chapel at 08:30 a.m.
• Sundays and Holidays
• Parish Church at 10, 12(in Galician) and 19:00. h
• Saint Blas Chapel at 11.00 a.m.
• Elder Residence Chapel at 11.00 a.m.

• PARISH CHURCH COUNCIL

The Parish Church Council consists of 26 people, representatives of the different groups who work in the parish:

• Parish priest
• Secretary
• Catechism (2 members: First Communion and Confirmation)
• Monastic Orders (2)
• Group of Charity (1)
• Prayer Group (1)
• Prayer Apostles (1)
• Group of "Laudes" (1)
• Liturgy (1)
• Economy (1)
• Parish assistants (1)
• Widows Society (1)
• Family Pastoral (1)
• Youth Group (2)
• "María Auxiliadora" Society (1)
• Care of the Parish Cemetery (1)
• Representatives of the different parish areas (7)

• CELEBRATIONS

Although the parish patron saint is Santiago Apostle, the parish representative celebrations are:

• Carmen festivity: 15^th and 16^th of July, with a solemn mass and procession of the Virgin Carme image along the sailors neighbourhood decorated with floral carpets.
• Saint Lorenzo festivity: 9^th , 10^th and 11^th of August with solemn mass and procession of the saint along the nearest streets to the Church.

Apart from these festivities, Vilaxoane neighbourhood celebrates Saint Blas festivity -3rd of February- with solemn mass and procession of the saint.

• OTHER CELEBRATIONS
• 2^nd of February: Candeloria Virgin, with the presentation in the temple of all the children born the year before.
• Easter: "Vía Crucis", procession, services and celebrations typical of these days followed by a great number of parishioners.
• Corpus Christi: solemn mass and procession along floral carpets.
• First Communion: several Sundays in May.
• Confirmation: in May.
• Gold and Silver weddings: celebration to commemorate the 50 and 25 wedding anniversary.
• Covadonga Virgin: 8^th of September. Solemn mass.
• Pilar Virgin: 12^th of October. Solemn mass.
• Saint Cecilia: 22^nd of November. Solemn mass
• Inmaculada Concepción: 7^th of December (vigil); 8^th of December (solemn mass)
• Christmas:

• PARISH TEMPLE

The nowadays building dates from the XVIII century, although the surviving documentation brings us back to the XVI century.

The temple has a rectangular floor. It consists of 3 naves, transept, main chapel and 2 sacristies.

The high altar altarpiece is rococo style (XVIII century). All the iconography is related to Saint Jacques, the Apostle.

The altar table has a relief showing Crish with the Apostles in the ship. The Apostles are dressed with traditional sailors clothes.

The Church shows other altarpieces -neoclassic, popular baroque- and several carvings (XVII and XVIII century)

The image that provokes more passion is the Virgin Carmen one, as Foz is a sailor's village. It is a modern image (1954) but it is famous around Galicia because of its beauty and expressiveness.

• FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
• Parish Office telephone number: 982140133
• E-mail: [email protected]

Up to date the 1^st of September, 2003

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