Traveling through the lands of La Rioja, you will find the hermitage of Saint John or The Holy Christ of the Remedies, as it is popularly known, because it houses the image of The Holy Christ of the Remedies. This image has a great devotion among the people of Briones, because it is the town’s patron saint.
We welcome you and invite you to contemplate this unique chapel built in the 18th century on another previous temple dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.
The current hermitage is a beautiful sandstone masonry building, an example of the Riojan stonework of that time. It was built between 1737 and 1748 by Juan Bautista Arbaizar. In its façade, the access door opens delimited by cylindrical buttresses. Above it and framed by columns with ribbons, you can see a niche with the image of Saint John -holder of the original temple- while the whole is topped with a bell gable of a single hollow with bell.
Inside, it is necessary to emphasize the octagonal plant inscribed in a rectangle, its surrounding curved lines and its great central dome as finish.
In the hermitage ornaments and different liturgical elements coming from the parish and nearby hermitages are exhibited, as well as a curious collection of relics and reliquaries. In the same way, diverse paintings and old carvings are conserved, emphasizing an extraordinary painting of «The Descent from the Cross» located in the right bottom.
On the sides there are two small neoclassical altarpieces. On the right is the sculpture of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, patron saint of La Rioja and, on the opposite side, the carving of the Immaculate Conception, life-size.
Pay attention to the head of the temple. You can see three striking altarpieces. In the one on the left you can see the carving of the Virgin of Carmen, with Saint Francis de Sales on the upper part, while Saint Joseph presides the one on the right, with the carving of Santa Rita in the attic.
The main altarpiece is a baroque work from the first half of the 18th century. The image of Saint John the Baptist can be seen on the top, while the carvings of Our Lady of Sorrows and Saint John the Evangelist escort the image of «Holy Christ of the Remedies». This Christ occupies the central niche from the Sunday after September 14, celebration of the «Exaltation of the Holy Cross», until the Sunday after May 3, feast of the «Invention of the Holy Cross». On this date the transfer is made from this hermitage to the parish church, in a ceremonious and populous procession. Therefore, depending on the date of your visit, the niche may be empty. However, you can see so beautiful and admired image presiding the main altarpiece of the Church of the Assumption.
As we have already mentioned, on the Sunday following the September Cross -September 14th-, the image returns to its hermitage in a solemn procession, accompanied by the devout village of Briones.
In our country and throughout the Catholic world, the veneration of «Crucified Christ» is very common. The people have always known that the Christian announcement is anchored to a cross, that Jesus saved us from sin and death dying on the cross, that salvation is a gift of the blood of Christ, that everything is a gift from God and his love for us and, that «Everything is grace».
Before continuing your visit to the village of Briones, we would like to share with you the prayer dedicated to the «Holy Christ of Remedies», patron saint of Briones. In a moment of pause, you can recite this prayer, as thousands of people have done over the centuries.
PRAYER TO THE HOLY CHRIST OF REMEDIES OF BRIONES
Jesus crucified, for your pains, for your agony, for your passion. Lord, hear my prayer, my petition. Mercy, mercy, mercy
Lord my God, you gave your beautiful life for me on a tree, the voice of Briones, who venerates you; I bring here the voice of the people. Do not abandon it, be its remedy and consolation in suffering; because we cannot, blessed Christ of the Remedies, live without you.
When the supreme hour arrives, blessed Christ, my redeemer, let me see you surrounded by light between the tulles of the night. Make all your children put their eyes on you, my God, and direct us a glance, a glance of protection, and grant us grace and absolution.
And when the supreme hour comes, let me die of God’s love, of God’s love.
Iglesias de La Rioja 