Manresa Council and Capuchin nuns decide future of historic monastery crypt

The local government plans to move the remains of the nuns to the municipal cemetery after the building's purchase.

Generic image of an ancient cloister with an iron hatch providing access to an underground crypt.
IA

Generic image of an ancient cloister with an iron hatch providing access to an underground crypt.

Manresa City Council and the Federation of Capuchin Poor Clares are working to resolve the future of the remains resting in the Sant Carles Borromeu monastery crypt before its official sale.

The 1.46-million-euro purchase of the convent is expected to be finalized by May 2026. A significant challenge remains regarding the remains of the nuns who lived there over the last 400 years. Mayor Marc Aloy stated that the council's preference is to relocate the remains to the municipal cemetery, although the religious federation holds the final decision-making power.
The crypt, established in 1652, contains the remains of almost every nun in the community's history. Pilar Lumbreras, the last nun to leave the convent, noted that the process might be complicated by groundwater issues common in Manresa. As the transition continues, historical documents and religious icons are being transferred to other archives and convents across Spain.