Cathedral of San Juan, Puerto Rico Facts for Kids

This page is about the Roman Catholic Cathedral in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For the Episcopal Cathedral, see Catedral San Juan Bautista (San Juan de Puerto Rico).

Quick facts for kids Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of Saint John the Baptist Catedral Metropolitana Basílica de San Juan Bautista
Front entrance
Location in Puerto Rico
18°27′57″N 66°7′4″W / 18.46583°N 66.11778°W / 18.46583; -66.11778
Location	San Juan, Puerto Rico
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Cathedral
Founded	1521
Architecture
Style	Baroque
Groundbreaking	1535
Completed	1802
Administration
Diocese	Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico

The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist is a very old and important Catholic church in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is also known as the Minor Basilica of Saint John the Baptist and Parish of Our Lady of Remedies. This amazing building is located in the historic area called Old San Juan. It is one of the oldest buildings in Puerto Rico and all of the Americas! It's even the oldest cathedral building in the United States.

Inside the cathedral, you can find the tomb of Juan Ponce de León, a famous Spanish explorer who helped start settlements. It also has a special place for Our Lady of Providence, who is the patron saint of Puerto Rico. There's also a shrine dedicated to Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Santiago, who was the first person from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean to be recognized as "Blessed" by the Catholic Church.

History of the Cathedral
Special Chapels and Rooms
Cathedral Treasures
Gallery
See also

History of the Cathedral

A 16th-century Gothic arch inside the cathedral.

Even though some other churches in the Americas are older, the Cathedral of San Juan is special. It is the oldest existing cathedral that was built specifically to be a cathedral in the Americas. This is because San Juan was one of the first places in the "New World" to have a Catholic diocese, which is like a church district. Bishop Alonso Manso was appointed here in 1511.

The first church building was made of wood in 1513. It was meant to be the main church for the first Catholic Diocese in the Americas. In the same year, Bishop Alonso Manso started the first school in Puerto Rico right where the cathedral is now. This school was free and taught many subjects like Latin, history, and art.

A detailed Gothic carving.

Sadly, a big hurricane destroyed the original wooden church in 1529. After that, people decided to build a stronger church out of stone. This new stone building was constructed between 1535 and 1542.

The first stone cathedral was built in the Gothic style. You can still see some parts of this old style, like the Gothic arches, in the northeast part of the building. In 1787, an earthquake damaged the building. This led to a major rebuilding in 1802, which gave the cathedral its current Baroque style. Another earthquake in 1867 caused more changes, especially to the front of the building in 1905.

In the 1970s, Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez asked the Pope to give the cathedral a special title: "minor basilica." On January 25, 1978, Pope Paul VI agreed. Later, in 1984, Pope John Paul II even visited the cathedral during his trip to Puerto Rico.

A group called Fundación Protectora de la Catedral Metropolitana de San Juan, Inc. was created to help fix up the old building and its art. They wanted to prepare it for its 500th anniversary in 2021 and keep it safe for many years to come.

Special Chapels and Rooms

Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament

This chapel is also known as the Chapel of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. It is located in the southwest part of the cathedral. It holds the main tabernacle and many beautiful artworks.

Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe

This chapel is mostly dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. It also has pictures of the Christ Child, Jude the Apostle, and Our Lady of Sorrows. You can see a copy of the special cloth (called a tilmàtli) that belonged to Juan Diego. This copy is surrounded by a gold and pearl frame.

Chapel of Our Lady of Divine Providence

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Providence.

This is one of the most important chapels in the cathedral for Puerto Rican culture. It has a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Providence, who is the patron saint and protector of Puerto Rico. The current statue of Our Lady of Providence is from 1853. Pope Paul VI declared her the national patron of Puerto Rico on November 19, 1969. This chapel is an official national shrine.

Baptistery Chapel

This chapel is where baptisms take place. It has a wooden shrine with a picture and personal items of the Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Santiago. He is often called Blessed Charlie. He was the first person from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean who was not a priest to be recognized as "Blessed."

Chapel of Pius I

This chapel is behind the sacristy (a room where priests prepare). It holds special items from Pope Pius I, who was the ninth Pope. It also displays the clothes and decorations worn by Pope John Paul II when he visited Puerto Rico in 1984.

Burial Chapel of Juan Ponce de León

The tomb of Juan Ponce de León.

This chapel contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. He was the first governor of Puerto Rico and the first European to explore Florida. This chapel also holds the tombs of Alonso Manso, the first bishop of San Juan, and Juan Alejo de Arizmendi, the first bishop born in Puerto Rico.

Chapel of the Immaculate Conception

This chapel is in the northwest part of the cathedral. Its main shrine has a picture of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It also has an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Because it's near the main entrance, this chapel also serves as a side door.

Altar de la Patria

This area is a very old Gothic archway in the northeast part of the cathedral. It now holds the Altar to the Fatherland (Altar de la Patria). This monument and plaque remember the first time the word puertorriqueño (meaning "Puerto Rican") was used. It marks the beginning of Puerto Rican identity as something separate from Spanish identity. This monument was set up in 2011.

Cathedral Treasures

17th-century silverware from the cathedral treasury, now at the Museum of San Juan.

Since it's one of the oldest churches in the Americas, the cathedral has a large and valuable collection of treasures. These treasures show the history of the church and San Juan from the 1500s until today. The collection includes sacred objects, special containers for relics, old writings, and other important church and historical documents. Today, many of these treasures, especially the old silver items, are on display at the Museum of San Juan, which is located nearby.