Alpandeire Home | History | Things To See | Fray Leopoldo
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| Fray Leopoldo. |
Alpandiere is famed as the birthplace of a bearded monk, known later as Fray Leopold de Alpandeire. Born on 24 June 1866 and baptised as Francisco Tomas Marquez Sanchez, he became a local celebrity at the turn of the 19th century.
At the age of 33 he left the village to become a Capuchin monk in Granada and sadly, 3 years before his death, Fray Leopold suffered a fractured skull after falling down some stairs. He recovered enough to walk with the aid of two canes and for the rest of his life, he resided in a convent.
The cherished monk died on February 9th 1956 and his good work has attracted a number of miracles and his tomb is visited by believers in search of divine help.
The process of his beatification began in 1961 and sainthood may follow at some point. A monument to him can be found on the outskirts of the village, and following in his footsteps his birthplace in the village and a later home on the Ronda road can also be spotted.
There are three Leopoldo monuments in the vicinity of the village of Alpandeire. A recent creation called 'Ruta de Fray Leopoldo' joins the villages in this area.
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