Iglesia de San José

Iglesia de San José is the parish church of El Escobonal, a village within the municipality of Güímar on Tenerife's southeastern coast. Small as it is, the building carries more than two and a half centuries of history, including a rebuild, a devastating fire, and a full restoration — making it a worthwhile stop for anyone exploring the medianías (mid-altitude countryside) around Güímar.

How did the church come to be built?

The very first chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph in El Escobonal did not stand where the current church stands today. It was a modest hermitage, blessed and opened for worship on 24 January 1755 by the beneficiary priest Cristóbal Alonso Núñez, built in an area known as Cano, next to the old royal road, at the lower end of the village. Weeks later, on 19 March of that same year — the feast day of Saint Joseph — the first celebrations in honor of the new patron saint took place, a date that would define the local festival for decades.

Why was a new, larger church built?

As El Escobonal grew, the hermitage in Cano became too small: part of the congregation could no longer fit inside or even see the altar during services. Villagers decided to build a bigger church in the center of the settlement, more convenient for the whole community. The new building was blessed and opened on 21 May 1862, in a ceremony led by the beneficiary priest Agustín Díaz Núñez, and the image of Saint Joseph was solemnly moved there from the old hermitage, becoming the village's main place of worship from that point on.

When did it become a parish?

Parish status arrived long after the church itself was built. On 18 November 1929, the church of El Escobonal was elevated to parish rank, formally beginning operation on 1 January 1930. The newly created parish initially covered both El Escobonal and the neighboring settlement of Lomo de Mena.

What happened during the 1942 fire?

The church's history includes a genuinely dramatic episode. Overnight between 30 and 31 March 1942, on Easter Monday, a fierce fire broke out inside the building and reduced most of it to ashes, destroying the images, the parish archive, the furnishings, and all interior ornaments. For the following two years, residents could not hold the patron saint festivities in the square in front of the church, since there was no image of the saint left and the building was under reconstruction. Only in August 1944 did the rebuilt church reopen, together with the blessing of a new image of Saint Joseph — the very same one still venerated in the parish today.

What is there to see on site?

The current building follows traditional Canarian religious architecture: a facade built from local volcanic stone and a bell tower visible above the village rooftops. Inside, the focal point is a Baroque-style main altar holding the figure of Saint Joseph. The church sits right in the center of El Escobonal, surrounded by traditional Canarian houses and cobbled streets, so a visit pairs naturally with a walk through the rest of this small village.

When are the patron saint festivities held?

Celebrations in honor of Saint Joseph were originally held on 19 March, the liturgical feast day. By 1850 at the latest, the date had shifted to the first Sunday of August — chosen for better weather, less risk of the celebrations being disrupted, and lighter agricultural workloads at that time of year. That August date has remained in place ever since.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the Iglesia de San José located? The church stands in the center of El Escobonal, a village that forms part of the municipality of Güímar on Tenerife's southeastern coast.

Is today's church the same building as the original 1755 hermitage? No. The first hermitage stood in the Cano area, at the lower end of the village. The current church was built in the center of El Escobonal, blessed in 1862, and later rebuilt in 1944 after the 1942 fire.

Why did the church burn down in 1942? A fire broke out overnight on Easter Monday and destroyed most of the building, along with its religious images, archives, and interior furnishings.

When are the patron saint festivities celebrated today? Nowadays they take place on the first Sunday of August, although they were historically tied to Saint Joseph's liturgical feast day of 19 March.