Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Catedral Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe of Ponce
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Front facade of Ponce Cathedral
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 Location in Puerto Rico
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| Location | Plaza Las Delicias Ponce, Puerto Rico |
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| Area | 2,960 m2 (31,900 sq ft) |
| Built | 1839 |
| Architect | Francisco Porrata Doria (1932 facade) |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| MPS | 19th Century Civil Architecture in Ponce TR (AD) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000467 |
| Added to NRHP | 10 December 1984 |
The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (which means Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in English) is also known as Ponce Cathedral. It is a very important cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce. You can find it right in the middle of Ponce's main town square, called Plaza Las Delicias. This area is part of the Ponce Historic Zone.
Because of its long history, the cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is the main church for the Bishop of Ponce, who is currently Rubén González Medina. The cathedral has a history going back to 1670. It has been damaged many times by fires and earthquakes. Its detailed design makes it special among Puerto Rico's cathedrals. It even has a large pipe organ that was played by the famous composer Juan Morel Campos.
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History of Ponce Cathedral
The cathedral has a history that is over 300 years old. In 1670, a small chapel was built in the center of Ponce. This was on the same spot where the cathedral stands today.
From Chapel to Parish Church
On September 17, 1692, the King of Spain, Carlos II, gave a special permit. This permit made the chapel an official parish church. Later, in 1835, the old parish church was taken down. A bigger church was then built in its place. This new church was finished and opened in 1839. It had two new towers with eight sides on the front. These towers were three stories tall and had windows on each side. A Christian cross topped each tower.
Changes Over Time
The building was damaged by several fires and earthquakes. A big earthquake in 1918 caused a lot of damage. It even destroyed both of the original towers. But the main part of the 1839 building is still there today. In 1924, Pope Pius XI officially declared it a cathedral. The first bishop of the Ponce Cathedral was Edwin Byrne in 1925.
From 1931 to 1937, the church was rebuilt. Architect Francisco Porrata Doria designed the new look. The front of the cathedral now has a French neoclassical style. During this time, two new chapels were added. A new roof was also put on. The upper part of the front was redesigned. Two new, beautifully decorated square towers were built. A pipe organ was put in place in 1934. It was fixed up and reopened in 1989. Bishop James E. McManus officially dedicated the building on April 11, 1950.
Location of the Cathedral
The cathedral is located in the middle of Ponce's main square, Plaza Las Delicias. It faces west, with its front entrance looking that way. Right behind the cathedral, to the east, is the historic fire house, Parque de Bombas.
These two buildings actually divide Plaza Las Delicias into two smaller squares. These are called Plaza Muñoz Rivera and Plaza Degetau. Low, wavy walls run along the north and south sides of the cathedral. These walls help separate it from the plazas. Plaza Las Delicias is in barrio Segundo. This is one of the main areas of Ponce's Historic Zone. The government of Puerto Rico created this zone to keep the city's old colonial look.
The Cathedral Building
The outside of the building looks Neoclassical. But the inside is mostly colonial and Gothic in style. The current building is bigger than the one from 1839. It was made larger on the south side in 1911 when a side chapel was added. The cathedral covers an area of about 3,540 square yards (3,540 sq yd).
The outside of the cathedral is painted light blue and gray. The inside is blue and beige. The building has many stained glass windows. These windows show different religious scenes. There are also two bell towers.
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Inside the Cathedral
The cathedral's shape is like a cruciform plan, which means it looks like a cross from above. It has a large dome where the main part (the nave) crosses with the side parts (the transept). The inside has eight sections, plus the apse at the end. The section closest to the front entrance is the vestibule.
Above this entrance area is a second floor called the choir loft. You can reach it by a wooden stairway. A large pipe organ is also on this second floor. People say Juan Morel Campos played this organ every Sunday for many years. The cathedral is about 42.2 meters (138 feet) long and 19.4 meters (64 feet) wide.
Arches divide the main area (nave) from the side walkways (aisles). On the south side, a large chapel was built in 1911. This chapel is a more quiet place for worship than the main church. The main area has a cross vaulted ceiling. It also has clerestory windows above the arches, letting in light.
The main neoclassical altar is made of clear alabaster. It replaced the original wooden Gothic altar. That old altar is now in the southern side chapel. The new main altar was built in Burgos, Spain. It was given as a gift by the local Ferre family. The floor of the cathedral is made of gray and white marble. Only the side chapel has a terrazzo floor.
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The Front of the Cathedral
The front of the cathedral faces west. It has two square towers on each side. Both towers are three stories tall. They are topped with silver domes and a Christian cross on top of each dome. Both towers have windows on every level. You can get into the towers through small wooden doors inside the church's entrance area.
To enter the cathedral, you go through a tall pair of wooden doors. These doors look like church doors from the Middle Ages in Europe. There are two round columns on each side of these doors. There are also rectangular wooden windows on both sides.
Above the second level of the front, there is a large triangular pediment. On top of this pediment sits a Christian cross. This cross is much bigger than the two on top of the tower domes. There are also two statues standing at the lower ends of the large triangular pediment. All parts of the front, except for the wooden windows and doors, are made of stone.
Special Events
On December 12, the cathedral hosts an event called "Las Mañanitas". This name comes from a Mexican birthday song. It is sung during a procession before dawn in the downtown area. This event celebrates the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She is the patron saint of Ponce. The event started in 1965. After the procession, people carrying candles attend Holy Mass at the Cathedral at 5:00 AM. Up to 10,000 people come to this event. On December 24, there is also a midnight Mass called Misa de Gallo (which means "Rooster's Mass").
Visiting Hours
The cathedral is open to visitors at certain times.
- Monday through Friday: 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM
- Saturday and Sunday: 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The only exception is during the Las Mañanitas event.
Damage to the Cathedral
The building was damaged and temporarily closed because of the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquakes.
Gallery
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Interior in 2003
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Interior in 2003
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Statue of Christ
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Ponce) para niños
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce
