Churches, Antigua Guatemala

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This pretty church is related to the work and life of Santo Hermano Pedro whose life's work can be seen in the Obras Sociales de Hermano Pedro just a few blocks away. It sits on a pretty park with another church on an adjacent side of the same park. The facade is yellow and white stucco and has interesting and pretty decorations. Of particular note is the nativity scene prominently located above the main entrance.

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It is here that you can visit the tomb of and celebrate the work of Central America's only saint, Hermano Pedro. He lived during the 17th century and is known for his work for the poor, capped by his opening of a hospital specifically for their care. He was made a saint in 2002 which led to a visit to Guatemala by Pope John Paul II.

The church structures date from the 15th century but most of what can be seen (functional and ruins) is from later restorations. Inside the operating portion of the church are many monuments to Hermano Pedro including a striking mural on the south wall. His tomb is in an area on the north side of the church and features very nice wooden carvings on its sides. In the ruins area of the church is a museum dedicated to the saint with some of his personal belongings on display as well as great photo documentation of the Pope's visit in 2002. Be sure to check out the wall paintings to the right as you pass through the admission gate to the ruins portion of the grounds. Admission to the church and tomb is free.

Outside the church is a small crafts market with several stalls of textiles, masks, etc. Check these out and also Gigantes, the craft store across the street (7a Calle Oriente).

One of the older churches in Antigua, constructed in 1542, Santa Lucia is much less ornately decorated than some of the other churches in town. It is still in use today and because it sits on the SW edge of the city it is seldom visited. We happend across it on our walk from the Hotel Antigua to the Cemeterio General.

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The cathedral, as with many churches in the city, was heavily damaged by a series of earthquakes in the 16th and 17th centuries. Building began in 1542 but the original structure was demolished in 1688. The current edifice was built btween 1669 and 1680. The quake that broke camel’s back was in 1773 and lead to the relocation of the nation’s capital from Antigua to Guatemala City. Many of the damaged churches and cathedrals were left abandoned or reutilized but without rebuilding or removing the resulting rubble. The cathedral was renovated between 1780 and 1820 to include a scaled-down worship area that is in use today. This area was just the entry hall for the original structure.

The façade which faces the Parque Central has also been renovated and is beautifully lit at night. Visitors can tour the unrestored areas of the cathedral in which one can get an idea of how large the original cathedral was before the earthquake. The large boulders still in the spots where they fell also gives one and indication of why renovations were never made. Be sure to go down to the small underground chapel accessible via a set of stairs behind the former altar.

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One of the biggest churches in Antigua is the Iglesia de San Francisco. This church is located in the eastern part of the city. Like almost all churches in the city, this one too, is not the original building. The original church was already destroyed in the end of the 16th century, when the church was only finished for 23 years.

Later the church was partly rebuilt, but some of the ruins remained around the original building. You can still see them clearly although they have been reinforced by a lot of concrete. At the leftside of the building a pretty skeleton of the old church remains.

Also at the leftside is the attraction the church is most famous for: the statue of Hermano Pedro de San José Betancourt. This missionary, who lived from 1623 - 1667 is buried inside the church and was declared "holy" by the pope in 2002. Eversince, and before, this is an important place for pilgrims.

In front of the church you will find a nice craftmarket and a quiet square with a lot of shade.

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At the head of the Parque Central, at its eastside, you cannot miss the big Catedral de San José. This is the most important church in the city and its foundations are very, very old. At this spot the very first Catholic church was built in 1542, the same year as the foundation of Antigua.

Like so many other buildings in Antigua, the original church was destroyed during several earthquakes and almost completely destroyed in 1773. In the decades after, it was rebuilt, but until today it has never completely been finished. At the back of the church you can still see some ruins of the older parts of the building.

After rebuilding the church is officially became a Cathedral. The interior never became as impressive as it used to be before the devastating earthquake, but still you can see some fine artworks inside as well as some crypths of important people.

The church has more entrances then only the front entrance. From the back and from the rightside you can also enter.

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Another interesting combo with a functioning church attached to a much larger structure in ruins. The visit is hauntingly evocative. Within the church is the tomb of Hermano Pedro, a Saint who is credited with healings. Part of the visit includes rooms full of crutches and braces that became unnecessary once sufferers were cured. If you walk to the church of Hermano Pedro (not too far away), you will encounter handicapped and stricken people hoping to be cured too.

This partially restored cathdral, located on the Parque Central, is small but lovely. It is being slowly restored. You can go to the back to get in to see the restoration underway and the ruins of the old Bishop's house.