Hakuna celebrates the restoration of the San Benito Abad Collegiate Church with a charity concert

The municipality of Yepes, Toledo (Spain), is finalizing preparations to receive the Hakuna Group Music group next Saturday, within the framework of a solidarity campaign aimed at protecting the San Benito Abad Collegiate Church.

Since it became known that the temple was threatening to collapse, as a consequence of the “Filomena” storm that affected some Spanish cities in 2021, individuals, companies, associations, institutions and the Diocesan Church have mobilized to provide financial aid and save this “ jewel” from the 16th century.

Hakuna wanted to join this movement with a charity concert on October 19 at 6:00 p.m. local time in the main square of Yepes, near the Collegiate Church, where it is expected to attract 4,000 people.

Under the motto #savethecolegiata, citizens have developed different solidarity initiatives, managing to unite an entire town that has dedicated itself to its church and requested financial aid to cover the 1.2 million cost of rehabilitating the roof of the Collegiate Church.

The residents of the municipality, together with the parish, have joined different solidarity initiatives to raise funds; from the celebration of charity concerts, theaters, raffles, meals, a massive march through the streets of the town, a tournament and even a campaign to “sponsor” a tile from the roof of the Collegiate Church.

All these solidarity actions and contributions from companies and individuals have helped raise more than 500,000 euros, with anonymous donations from individuals of up to 80,000 euros. The Yepes City Council has contributed 70,000 euros, the same amount that the Provincial Council has contributed.

The archbishopric of Toledo, for its part, has contributed 300,000 euros, while the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha has recently approved a sum of 223,000 euros to subsidize repair works.

The charity performance by the Hakuna group will be the “golden finale” to a day of gratitude for having managed to save this church. Throughout Saturday there will be fireworks and food and drink stands to liven up the party and thank all citizens for their contribution.

In addition, entry to the Collegiate Church will be allowed to see the vaults already rehabilitated before the concert.

A rehabilitation in record time

Initially, the rehabilitation of the collegiate roof, of almost 1,700 square meters, had been planned in several phases to conclude in October 2029.

However, the poor condition of the roof made the technicians unify the different stages to carry it out in a record time of one year, so the work is now finished.

The collegiate church dates back to the 16th century and was built by the architect Alonso de Covarrubias. It has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, with the category of monument since 1992.

It has a hall floor plan with three vaulted naves, three apse chapels and twelve side chapels. The temple is crowned by a tower of more than 60 meters, a lighthouse and a reference point on the Mesa de Ocaña.

On the outside, the monumentality of its doors stands out, under large semicircular arches of Roman tradition, with baroque reliefs alluding to the Assumption on the main door, and the statue of San Benito Abad, patron saint of the town, on the southern one.

Inside, numerous pictorial works by Luis Tristán, an outstanding student of El Greco, are preserved, which make up the main altarpiece of the temple.

Hakuna Group Music, the “golden brooch”

This Catholic music group has become a mass phenomenon and has hung the “no tickets” sign at its recent concerts at the WiZink Center in Madrid.

In Yepes, Hakuna will star in a 2-hour charity concert with a repertoire that is triumphing in more than 35 cities in Spain; 15 in Europe; 11 in America and one in South Korea.

The purchase of concert tickets can be made in the parish of Yepes or digitally on the platform The English Court.