Torreciudad sanctuary dispute in Spain

A dispute has emerged between the Diocese of Barbastro-Monzón and Opus Dei regarding the control and religious artifacts of the Torreciudad sanctuary in Huesca, Spain.

Bishop Ángel Pérez Pueyo has accused Opus Dei of the illegal possession or ‘expolio’ (plunder) of the statue of Nuestra Señora de Torreciudad, asserting that no original documentation proves a legal transfer of its use. The Bishop noted that historical agreements from 1961 regarding the land included provisions to prevent the removal of the image from its original hermitage.

In response, Opus Dei denied the allegations of usurpation, maintaining that the veneration of the image is based on a 1962 agreement with the former Bishop Jaime Flores. The organization claims the statue was ceded in perpetuity in exchange for their commitment to restore the image and promote its cult. Opus Dei characterized the Bishop’s accusations as “offensive and unfounded.”

The conflict encompasses broader issues of sanctuary ownership, economic management, and pastoral governance. To resolve the impasse, the Holy See has appointed Alejandro Arellano, Dean of the Apostolic Signatura, as a plenipotentiary commissioner. While the complex attracts roughly 200,000 pilgrims annually, a final decision from Rome regarding the future of the site is still pending.