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Long ago, dignitaries walked up the cobblestone street to the San Juan Cathedral to give thanks for their safe journey.
After two days at sea and weary of being confined to the boat, it felt as if I, too, should head over to San Juan Cathedral to give thanks for finally making it into port!
Catedral San Juan Bautista, or San Juan Cathedral as it is more commonly known, is Puerto Rico’s grandest religious building and certainly one of its most important, being the seat of the Archdiocese of Puerto Rico. The second oldest church in the Western Hemisphere, it is also the oldest church on U.S. soil and one of the oldest buildings in Puerto Rico.
The original cathedral, built in 1521, while the island was under Spanish rule, was a more simple structure constructed from wood with a thatched roof. Unable to withstand strong winds, it was demolished by a hurricane and reconstructed in 1540, though what you see today, has evolved over time, especially its Gothic facade, added in the 1800s.
As I entered the cathedral, what I first noticed was that even though it is still quite palatial in appearance, with its ornately detailed ceiling, the cathedral lacked opulence. Numerous robberies and pillaging over the years of its existence have stripped the church of most of its valuable assets, but some of the original statues and stained glass windows remain.
As you make your way around the church, however, there are two famous reliquaries to take note of. The tomb of Juan Ponce de León, the first governor of Puerto Rico, most well known for his search for the Fountain of Youth, has been laid to rest in the cathedral. Though, the conquistador’s remains were originally interred at the Iglesia de San José, his family’s place of worship, he was moved here in 1912, to commemorate the 400 year anniversary of evangelization. The white marble tomb, created by Spanish sculptor Miguel Blay, near the church’s transept, is not to be missed.
At the rear of the church, just right of the entrance, look for the glass box containing a most distinguished and long-deceased figure…St. Pius. St. Pius was was one of the first martyrs killed for his faith during the Roman persecution. In 1848, Pope Pius VII granted Puerto Rican Bishop Mariano Rodríguez de Olmedo y Valle permission to select a relic from the catacombs in Rome. Though the relic made a detour to Barcelona to be restored, it finally made its way back to San Juan Bautista in 1868. Displayed in a glass case, a wax sculpture of the saint’s body encases his skull. The back of the skull is exposed to show its authenticity. If you look into the mouth, you can see his real teeth.
Another interesting shrine within the cathedral is dedicated to Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Santiago, the first Puerto Rican and the first Caribbean-born layperson to be beatified.
While visiting Old San Juan, make sure to make your way down to the Plazuela de Las Monjas and stop into this historic church. Take a pew and give thanks for your safe voyage to the island in memory of those who have come before you.
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Catedral San Juan Bautista
- http://catedral-san-juan-bautista.business.site/
- Address: 151 Calle del Cristo, San Juan, 00902, Puerto Rico
- Hours: Open daily, 0800-1600 (Sunday, until 1400). Mass schedule, Saturday, 1900, Sunday, 0900 and 1100, Weekdays, 0725 and 1215.
- Admission: free