On Saturday 27 June 2026, the municipality of Alpandeire in the Serranía de Ronda will once again commemorate the birth of its most illustrious resident, Blessed Friar Leopoldo, who was born in this beautiful town in the Genal Valley on 24 June 1864, some 162 years ago. Fray Leopoldo Day has been celebrated in Alpandeire since 2011, with the participation of hundreds of residents and visitors who typically come to the village during the weekend of the celebration.
The feast day of Friar Leopoldo will begin at 10.30 am in the Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua with a commemorative Mass. Following the Mass, shortly before noon, the eagerly awaited procession will commence, in which the image of the ‘beato’ will travel through the streets of his hometown on a beautifully decorated throne carried by men and women. It is worth noting that both the image of the friar and the throne were donated in 2010 by a local family after Friar Leopoldo’s beatification. Numerous people will accompany the procession along its route, which will pause at the Blessed’s birthplace and in the Plaza de Fray Leopoldo. At this location, a floral offering will be made at the sculpture. The procession will then continue its journey back to the church.
Later, a communal lunch will be held, offering all attendees a ‘pilgrim’s menu’ at affordable prices. At 8pm, the Holy Rosary will be prayed for in honour of the Blessed. Throughout the day, the Fray Leopoldo Interpretation Centre will also be open and visitors can explore his birthplace and the monuments located throughout the town.
The Feast of Fray Leopoldo is immensely popular, both with the residents of the municipality and with people from various places who gather in Alpandeire year after year to celebrate this feast with devotion. Therefore, everyone is invited to come to the town to commemorate the 162nd anniversary of the Blessed’s birth, where they can enjoy a wonderful day of fellowship.
Background
Francisco Tomás de San Juan Bautista Márquez Sánchez was born into a humble family in Alpandeire. As the years passed, his kind and pious nature blossomed, along with his inclination towards religion. Francisco Tomás Márquez left Alpandeire at the age of 33 to become Friar Leopoldo. After time in Seville and Antequera, he entered the Capuchin Order in Granada, where he served as a friar almoner for 42 years. There, he was much loved and recognised for his generosity towards the needy and his willingness to offer them advice and understanding. Friar Leopoldo died on 9 February 1956, in Granada, and his beatification took place on 12 September 2010 in Armilla, where tens of thousands of people gathered to share in the occasion.
