Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (San Francisco, California) facts for kids
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) is a historic landmark in San Francisco, California. You can find it at 906 Broadway, right on the corner of Broadway and Mason. This beautiful church was first built in 1875.
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Church History
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The original Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe was finished in 1880. Sadly, a huge earthquake and fire in April 1906 destroyed it. A new church was built and officially opened in 1912.
In 1992, Archbishop John R. Quinn decided to close the church. He said there weren't enough priests and not many people were attending services. The church officially closed its doors on July 2, 1992.
Saving the Church
Many people wanted to save the church because it was so important. They asked for it to be declared a historic monument. About 5,000 people signed a petition to support this idea.
It took a lot of effort, including five meetings over more than a year. Finally, on October 4, 1993, all members of the City's Board of Supervisors voted to make it a historic landmark. This saved the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Later that year, the Archdiocese of San Francisco decided that St. Mary's Chinese Schools would use the church building. This happened on December 1, 1994.
Building Design
The former Roman Catholic church was built in 1912. It was designed by architects Frank T. Shea and John D. Lofquist. They used a style called Mission Revival. This church was likely the first in San Francisco to be built using strong, reinforced concrete.
Architectural Features
The church's design reminds people of old churches in Mexico and South America. It also looks like even older buildings in Spain and Portugal. The church has a simple shape. It features round arches and two tall towers. Golden crosses sit on top of these towers.
The front of the church has a main entrance that is set back. This entrance is surrounded by a larger, round-arched opening. On the second floor, there is a large round window in the center. Above this window is a mosaic figure. On each side of the window are arched spaces with sculpted figures.
Inside Paintings
The entire inside of the church, even the ceiling, is covered with beautiful paintings. These paintings are in a classic style. One painting shows the Last Supper. It has many different facial expressions, which critics say is very well done.
These amazing paintings were finished in 1916. The faces of the angels on the ceiling were even modeled after children from the church choir! An Italian immigrant named Luigi Brusaton, born in 1885, created these artworks.
The Organ
The church has a special pipe organ called a Hook and Hastings organ. It has 24 sets of pipes and was built in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1888. The church bought it for $250,000 and had it fixed.
This organ is very unique. It was one of only two in the whole country that worked using windpipes. It is still one of the oldest working pipe organs on the west coast today. The National Historical Organ Society has even named it a landmark. It is the only working mechanical organ in San Francisco with this special designation.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Virgin of Guadalupe is a very important figure in Mexico. She is considered the patron saint. Her image shows her with brown skin, an angel and the moon at her feet, and rays of sunlight around her.
Her image has been used throughout Mexican history. It is not just a religious symbol. It also represents Mexican pride and identity. Even today, Our Lady of Guadalupe is a strong symbol of faith and Mexican culture. She is connected to many ideas, from motherhood to social justice.
A Special Holiday
December 12th became a national holiday in Mexico in 1859. In 1945, Pope Pius XII called Our Lady of Guadalupe the "Empress of the Americas."
Every year on December 12th, thousands of people gather at the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City. They celebrate her birthday by singing a famous song called "Las Mañanitas."
A Special Story
In 1923, a young couple from Colima, Mexico, named Don Elias and Dona Maria Silva, arrived in San Francisco. Dona Maria was expecting a baby, and soon after, she gave birth to a girl named Ramona.
A few months later, little Ramona became very sick. Don Elias was working near the Church of Guadalupe. He was very worried. He promised the Virgin that if his daughter got better, he would bring her a serenade.
Ramona got well! The next December 12th, Don Elias stood outside the church at 4:30 AM with a group of mariachis.
The musicians began to play "Las Mananitas" to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe. Neighbors were not used to noise so early in the morning. They called the police, and everyone was put in jail.
The next day, the church priest found out what happened. He went to the police station to explain that serenading in the early morning was a Mexican tradition. This helped the mariachis get out of jail. It was then agreed that from then on, they could continue to serenade Our Lady at the same time every December 12th without being arrested.
Current Owners
In 2013, the church building was sold for $2.5 million. San Francisco investors bought it, cleaned it up, and put it back on the market in 2015. It took many months to sell again. Finally, in January 2016, it was sold.
As of 2016, a group called GVA Capital Group bought Our Lady of Guadalupe for $7 million. This group, partly managed by Pavel Cherkashin, is a new venture capital firm. They invest in companies in Silicon Valley. They turned the church building into the 906.World Cultural Center. This center focuses on arts, education, and culture. Its goal is to use this historic building to bring different people together through art and learning.
Seen in Movies
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been featured in several movies:
- The Princess Diaries (2001), directed by Garry Marshall
- The Pursuit of Happiness (2006), directed by Gabriele Muccino
- Inside Out (2015), an animated movie by Pete Docter
- Venom (2018), directed by Ruben Fleischer
