Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)By Wendy Williams
MORE than 60,000 people gathered this weekend to witness the beatification of Capuchin monk Fray Leopoldo de Alpandeire.
The special ceremony, held on Sunday at the Armilla air base in Granada, was attended by 150 religious figures from around the world and paid homage to the Spanish monk, who is much revered throughout Andalucía.
Born near Ronda, the eldest of four siblings, he spent most of his life working in Granada, until his death in 1956 aged 92.
And his tomb, located in the Capuchin convent, has already gained cult status and has been described as “the most visited place in Granada after the Alhambra palace”.
Now, the city has officially become the city of Fray Leopoldo.
And with over 3,000 people involved in organising the event, at a cost of around three million euros, the open-air mass has awarded Fray Leopoldo the title of Blessed and moved him one step closer towards sainthood.
