La continuación de la calle Juan de Austria, es la calle de la Iglesia.

Subimos hasta la antigua plaza del Altozano, llamada así por ser una planicie en lo alto de esta cuesta; hoy es llamada plaza de Federico Fernández, hombre que cayo en desgracia ya que fue el primer arénense que murió en la Guerra Civil.

We are in the old Plaza del Altozano, so called because it was a plain at the top of this slope; today it is called Plaza de Federico Fernández, a man who fell in disgrace as he was the first man from Arenas who died in the civil war. We go down the street of the church towards Calle de la Nava.

When twelve noon comes, it is Angelus time and they sound interpreting the song: «The thirteenth of May» from «Our Lady of Fatima»

The organ is located inside the Tower of Saint Bárbara, in the current choir loft. The Baptismal font was also relocated to the ground floor of the tower, in the chapel enclosed by a valuable 1500´s railing, the only example of Renaissance grillwork in Arenas. Previously both the baptismal font and the organ were located between the back and north wall of the church.

The pipe organ is from the 18^th century of the Toledo school. Of mechanical transmission with window console, it shows the typical characteristics of the Iberian baroque organ. It had a mechanism that moved by means of arms to propel the bellows with the air that spread through the pipes in a pleasant sound when the keyboard was played. Today this mechanism is mechanical-electrical.

Of the 1208 tubes it originally had, it currently conserves 618, mostly in tin and with a short octave of 45 notes. Its case is baroque with abundant colourful decoration in green, red, ochre and golden tones. The organ is embellished with a high gilded carved surface; whose lateral pinnacles serve as seats for two cherubs blowing pipes.

Once, on the occasion of a repair, a hidden note was discovered with the following inscription: «This organ was made in the year of the Lord of 1726, being priest Vicar of this town D. Alfonso Zermeño».

The original church from the middle of the 14^th century was enlarged and reformed in the 15^th and 16^th centuries by the Duke of Infantado. Between the 40’s and 50’s, as we have mentioned before, the parish priest Mr. Marcelo Gómez Matías made many of the reforms that we can see today, especially in the presbytery and the frescoes.

Well into our millennium, the windows were replaced by stained glass windows made by a prestigious glassmaker from Segovia in 2008 commissioned by the then pastor Mr. Javier Navarro Gómez. These windows are contemplated in the southern part of the church, adorned with three stained glass windows representing San Pedro de Alcántara, The Virgin of the Pillar of Arenas and Santa Teresa de Jesús, as well as the two stained glass windows of the Baptistery chapel, highlighting the one representing the Baptismal symbol.

Currently, being parish priest D. Cruz Herráez Díaz, the entire facade of the temple, which was covered with mortar, was revised, leaving its original stone in sight; Also since 2019 the organ is in the process of restoring, which is currently in use and as a sample is its sound in this musical background.

The carving of San Pedro de Alcántara was made in the 19th century, it replaced an older one from the 17th century, now disappeared. It is a wood carving and represents the barefoot Saint, with a wiry face and bald head. He appears with his right hand on his chest, while he contemplates a skull, which he holds with his left hand, from which also hang some disciplines. Fray Pedro de Alcántara deep and sincere friend of Teresa of Jesus, was faithful adviser of the Saint, who guided her and gave her the definitive impulse to reform the Carmel.

Fray Pedro de Alcántara transformed the hermitage of San Andrés del Monte into the church of a small Franciscan convent. He lived the last years of his life in Arenas, dying in the infirmary in 1562 in the odour of sanctity.

In 1622 he was beatified. Arenas placed itself under the protection of the Blessed and proclaimed him its patron that same year. Blessed Pedro was canonized in 1669, after a long process in which many people from Arenas and neighbouring towns testified, incorporating from that date the name of the Saint to the name of the municipality: Arenas de San Pedro.

Between 1772 and 1776 the works of the Royal Chapel of the Sanctuary of San Pedro de Alcántara were carried out on the plans of Ventura Rodríguez; the remains of the Saint are transferred to the porphyry urn once the works were finished. San Pedro de Alcántara is the patron saint of Extremadura and Portugal (his feast day is celebrated on October 19^th).

The Christ of the waters, although it does not have the privilege of being located (due to its large size) in the main chapel or presbytery, is one of the jewels of our church. It is a carving from the second half of the 14^th century in Romanesque-Gothic style. Made of cane heart wood, it represents Christ crucified in a patient and serene posture. A dead Christ on the cross. It is a perfect structure with the head inclined to the right side. He wears a large crown of thorns and three rays of light, symbol of his divinity as the second person of the Holy Trinity. It is believed that this image belonged to the primitive church of the 14^th century.

This image was used with great devotion since it was taken out in rogation when there were droughts, plagues or epidemics to implore from it the rain needed or the health so desired.

The presbytery is presided over by a large painting of the Assumption of Mary, patron saint of the church; it is an 18^th century painting that belongs to the school of Murillo. It is escorted by two carvings of archangels of natural size: Saint Michael Miguel and Saint Raphael, also belonging to the 18^th century.

The parish priest Marcelo Gómez Matías placed in its main chapel a frieze of ceramics of Talavera with the saints of the diocese of Avila. In 1940, the artist Juan Ruiz de Luna from Talavera, gave color to the 2500 tiles that adorn the half high part of this chapel, representing a sky in which angels abound between clouds giving escort to the Virgin. In the double frieze of more than 1100 tiles, the Virgin is accompanied by fourteen saints of the diocese of Avila, seven martyrs and seven confessors, also the work of Ruiz de Luna.

In the centre, behind the granite altar, there is a neoclassical Versailles-style shrine that recalls in miniature the Temple of Solomon. It dates from the 18^th century and comes from the oratory of the Palace of the Infant Mr. Luis de Borbón in Arenas. In its interior is located the Tabernacle made in gold and silver by Lázaro Gumiel in 1948.

In the Main Chapel, above the door that leads to the sacristy, is this canvas that represents the Virgin of the pillar of Arenas in a frame of baroque style dated in 1738. Accompanying the Virgin in a praying attitude are Saint Pedro de Alcántara and Saint Agustín, at her feet the Villa of Arenas and the Latin inscription: «Sub umbra alarum tuarum. Protege nos” (Under the shadow of your wings, Protect us).

It is believed that this painting was rescued from the flames of the old convent of San Agustín. It is known that the canvas presided for years over the plenary hall of the Town Hall of Arenas, until it was finally deposited in the parish church.

The carving of the Virgin of the Pillar was found in the 11th century. Well known then for its miracles and prodigies, this reached the ears of Cordoba, who claimed it because the description of the carving coincided with the image that their ancestors hid in some rocks at the time of the Muslim invasion. After several disputes, the authorities gave the carving of the Virgin to the people of Cordoba, although the intention of the Virgin became clear when on two occasions and miraculously, the image returned to Arenas, where it was finally found in an olive tree (it is said that they saw an eagle hovering over the olive tree and the image).

The Virgin of the Pillar of Arenas is the patron saint of the people of Arenas or Pilaretes; she had her sanctuary in the convent of the Augustinians until it was burned by the French in the War of Independence. Given as a divine grace, the image at that time was not in the convent, had been lowered to the parish of the people on the occasion of some celebrations prayers. Since then it has been here in the parish. 

Built in fine wood, it is in its entirety, that is to say, without mantle or dress, all this to be able to appreciate its great artistic value. It is shown in a seated position. On the left side of her lap is her son, the Child Jesus, whom she is holding with her hand behind her back. In her right hand she holds a sphere as a symbol of the whole, of power and perfection.

The image measures 55 centimetres. The effigy rests on a striking pillar of 23 centimetres. This pillar rests on another column, gilded with an eagle with outstretched wings (a gift from the people of Cordoba as a souvenir and symbol of what happened). On top of it is a silver crescent symbolizing Mary conceived without original sin. Between the eagle and the column there is a deformed head that represents evil, temptation and envy. This composition symbolizes the original sin committed by Eve and redeemed by Mary, who firmly triumphs over the evil on which she treads.

In 1950, the academic painter Eduardo Martínez Vázquez, painter par excellence of the Sierra of Gredos, Guisando and Arenas, decorated the fresco on the central front of the church, representing the Virgin of Pilar in her apparition to Santiago Apostle; below is the main chapel or presbytery of the temple, is square. It has a flat headwall that has taken advantage of the remains of the previous temple. Its roof is lower and of smaller proportions than the rest. It is surrounded by a chestnut wood masonry of neo-Renaissance taste, with 25 seats, with their arms and rotating seats. The construction of the seating is due to artisan cabinetmakers from Arenas, as well as its later restoration.

The lateral frescoes were made by the Dominican Julio Ibáñez in 1966, representing the one on the left «The Transverberation of Saint Theresa of Jesus», phenomenon by which Theresa of Avila lived the mystical experience of the intimate union with God when her heart was pierced by the supernatural fire.   On the right is «The Impression of the wounds of St. Francis»; It was in September 1224 while Francis was immersed in divine contemplation, when Christ imprinted on his body the stigmata of his passion; thus fulfilling the desire of Francis with his prayer: «O my Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you to grant me before I die, to feel in my soul and in my body, as far as possible, the pain that you, sweet Jesus, endured in the hour of your most bitter passion».

Below these frescoes of great mystical charge and divine experience, are the images of our patron saints: The Virgin of the Pillar of Arenas and San Pedro de Alcántara.

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The body of the church is divided into three naves with pointed vaults that support twelve columns, six attached to the lateral walls and six isolated in the centre; and a square apse also vaulted, the central nave is slightly higher and wider than the lateral ones. The columns like palm trees extend their ribs throughout the roof, offering the grandeur of the Gothic temples. It is considered one of the first Gothic churches called «de salón» … it is unique in our Diocese of Avila.