Iglesia Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Aurora
The Church of Our Lady of Aurora is a small but interesting Mudejar temple from the 16th century and one of the town’s most interesting historic buildings. It has a simple design with a single nave, a traditional Mudejar wooden roof structure, and a tower incorporated at the foot of the church. Inside, the original wooden choir and the historic tomb of Spanish nobility Doña María Silva de Cisneros Moctezuma, whose burial is dated August 1679, are still preserved.
There is also the sculpture of the town’s patron saint, San Sebastián. San Sebastián was a 3rd century Roman soldier who was executed for his faith. He became widely venerated as a protector against plague and epidemics, making him a popular patron saint in communities affected by disease. In Villanueva Mesía, local tradition links devotion to San Sebastián to the 1679 epidemic. The beautiful wood carving of San Sebastián, whose date of origin is unknown, was the only one that was saved from the burning of images carried out in July 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, reportedly because Sebastián Sánchez Torres, known as ‘El Melero’ (beekeeper), persuaded those involved not to destroy it.
Located on Calle Posito.