A representative in the Orihuela Costa District Council has asked the Council to clarify whether the Ecumenical Centre has a licence to use two of it’s rooms for economic benefit, in the display of the deceased during a period of interment.
The question was asked of the councillor for the coast by the president of AIDOC, Luis Carcedo, during the last District Council meeting.
When questioned, Manuel Mestre, acknowledged that he was aware that the Diocese was using the rooms for that purpose. “It is true that they are going to use them as a funeral home and obtain an economic benefit from the rental, we could say, of those facilities,” were the exact words of the councillor who pointed out that, previously, they had unsuccessfully requested the Diocese to be able to use the facilities to hold the ‘Viva la Pepa’ concert on the occasion of Constitution Day.
However, a spokesmen for the Bishopric, pointed out that the ecumenical centre has two “interment rooms where families can view the bodies of the deceased”. “It is not a funeral home,” they emphasised.
When the Council was asked whether this use requires a business license and whether it would be a breach of the agreement. Municipal sources respond that they have no record of this use. They do point out that, just a few meters away, a funeral home is being built by local funeral director, Francisca Samper, which is expected to open it’s doors in February.
Whilst the building is considered to be a multi-faith centre, Carcedo notes that the church has had limited activity as regards denominations other than Roman Catholic. He points out that there has been some activity by the Orthodox Church, but very little by the Anglican and Lutheran churches.
