Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís: Difference between revisions

Santa Clara de Asís
Santa Clara de Asís
	22°24′23″N 79°58′04″W / 22.40635°N 79.96780°W
Location	Santa Clara
Country	Cuba
Denomination	Catholic
Website	Official website
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1692 (The 1738 replacement building was demolished in 1923. The current one was built in the 1940s.)
Founder(s)	Padre Conyedo (1738)
Dedication	Saint Clare of Assisi
Consecrated	1954
Relics held	Historic water basin, called Pilón, used to baptize the city residents / A lost and found marble statue of Virgin Mary
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	José A. Mendigutia
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	June 30, 1940
Completed	1954
Administration
Province	Villa Clara
Diocese	Santa Clara

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The Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís (Cathedral of Saint Clare of Assisi) is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the city of Santa Clara, Cuba. It lies on Calle Marta Abreu, one of the city's main arteries, only two blocks from Parque Vidal and next to the cultural centre "El Mejunje".

Overview

The cathedral is the most important religious building in the city. The much argued-about church was built in 1940 after its colonial predecessor in Parque Vidal was demolished in 1923. Neo-Gothic in style, the new cathedral includes a wonderful collection of leaded stained glass windows, the marble "pilón" or holy water basin used for baptisms for most of the city's history (those thereby baptized are called "pilongos"), and the statue of Jesus in the upper front holding a gold monstrance. But the most impressive piece of art is the larger-than-life statue of the Virgin Mary inside the structure, locally known as "la Virgen del camino" (Travelers' Virgin). Until the Cuban Revolution, this statue was located on the road to Havana as a way to bless travelers. It was pulled down soon after and it disappeared for more than three decades. It was finally re-discovered around 1995 in a ditch, covered by soil and undergrowth. Already forgotten by the citizens of Santa Clara, a political battle ensued to decide whether to give it to a museum or the church. It was finally granted to the religious authorities.

The construction of the cathedral went through several public controversies. It was a heated electoral issue for ruling mayors in colonial times. Most of them and a number of citizens back in the 1920s were torn between the possibility of keeping the colonial "Iglesia Mayor" (Grand Church, 1738) located in Parque Vidal, or tearing it down in order to make space for a re-designed and bigger plaza and re-locating the cathedral in a nearby location. Some people insisted on keeping the historic building, since it was one of the oldest in the growing city, realizing its importance as heritage. Eventually it was destroyed and two decades later the new one was constructed. Not happy with this action, Church authorities raised a formal complaint versus the city and won, although the church has never received the compensation that was awarded.

Gallery

Santa Clara de Asís Cathedral in 1997.
Drawing of Santa Clara de Asís front, published in 1933.
Historic photo of Santa Clara Cathedral in the 1950s.
Front detail of Santa Clara de Asís Cathedral.
Interior of Santa Clara de Asís Cathedral.
Vertical panorama of Santa Clara de Asís Cathedral.
One of the stained glass windows inside Santa Clara de Asís Cathedral. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, built in 1950.

Bibliography

"Catedral" (official website). Diócesis de Santa Clara, 2013.
Cristobal Garcia, Angel - El teatro La Caridad. Colección Escambray, PUBLICIGRAF, 1993.
Cristobal Garcia, Angel - El parque Vidal. Colección Escambray, PUBLICIGRAF, 1993.

External links

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 | location = [[Santa Clara, Cuba|Santa Clara]]
 | country = [[Cuba]]
-| denomination = [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
+| denomination = [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]
-| website = {{official website|http://diocesisdesantaclara.com/directorio-diocesano/templos-y-parroquias/item/3-catedral.html}}
+| website = {{official website|http://diocesisdesantaclara.com/component/k2/item/3.html}}
-| founded date = 1692 (This former building was demolished in 1923, the current one was built in the 1940s)<ref name=a>[http://diocesisdesantaclara.com/directorio-diocesano/templos-y-parroquias/item/3-catedral.html The Cathedral on the diocese website]</ref>
+| founded date = 1692 (The 1738 replacement building was demolished in 1923. The current one was built in the 1940s.)
-| founder = Padre Conyedo
+| founder = Padre Conyedo (1738)
 | dedication = [[Clare of Assisi|Saint Clare of Assisi]]
 | dedicated date =
 | consecrated date = 1954
 | cult =
-| relics = Original 1692 water basin, called Pilón, used to baptize the city residents / A lost and found marble statue of Virgin Mary
+| relics = Historic water basin, called Pilón, used to baptize the city residents / A lost and found marble statue of Virgin Mary
 | events =
 | past bishop =
@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 | logo =
 | logosize = }}
-The '''''Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís''''' (''Saint Claire of Assisi Cathedral'') is a [[cathedral]] located in the city of [[Santa Clara, Cuba|Santa Clara]], [[Cuba]]. It lies on ''Calle Marta Abreu'', one of the city's  main arteries, only 2 blocks from [[Parque Vidal]] and next to the cultural centre "[[El Mejunje]]".
+The '''''Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís''''' (''Cathedral of [[Saint Clare of Assisi]]'') is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[cathedral]] located in the city of [[Santa Clara, Cuba|Santa Clara]], [[Cuba]]. It lies on ''Calle Marta Abreu'', one of the city's  main arteries, only two blocks from [[Parque Vidal]] and next to the cultural centre "[[El Mejunje]]".
 ==Overview==
-It is the most important religious building in the city. The much argued-about church was built in 1940 after the pull down of the original one in Parque Vidal in the year of 1923.  Neo Gothic in style, it guards a wonderful collection of lead [[stained glass]] windows, the original marble “pilon” or holy water basin used to baptize the citizens since the very birth of the city (those thereby baptized are called "pilongos"), the statue of Jesus in the upper front holds a [[monstrance]] which is said is made out of pure gold. But the most impressive piece of art is the larger than life statue of Mother Mary inside the structure locally known as “la Virgen del camino” (Travelers' Virgin). This statue used to be, at the beginning of the [[Cuban Revolution]], on the road to [[Havana]] as a way to bless the incoming or outgoing travelers to the city. It was pulled down soon after and it disappeared for more than three decades. It was finally re-discovered around 1995 in a ditch, roofed by soil and undergrowth. Already forgotten by the citizens of [[Santa Clara, Cuba|Santa Clara]], a political battle ensued to decide whether taking it to a museum or giving it to the church. It was finally granted to the religious authorities.
+The cathedral is the most important religious building in the city. The much argued-about church was built in 1940 after its colonial predecessor in Parque Vidal was demolished in 1923.  Neo-Gothic in style, the new cathedral includes a wonderful collection of leaded [[stained glass]] windows, the marble "pilón" or holy water basin used for baptisms for most of the city's history (those thereby baptized are called "pilongos"), and the statue of Jesus in the upper front holding a gold [[monstrance]]. But the most impressive piece of art is the larger-than-life statue of the Virgin Mary inside the structure, locally known as "la Virgen del camino" (Travelers' Virgin). Until the [[Cuban Revolution]], this statue was located on the road to [[Havana]] as a way to bless travelers. It was pulled down soon after and it disappeared for more than three decades. It was finally re-discovered around 1995 in a ditch, covered by soil and undergrowth. Already forgotten by the citizens of [[Santa Clara, Cuba|Santa Clara]], a political battle ensued to decide whether to give it to a museum or the church. It was finally granted to the religious authorities.
-The construction of this project went through several public scandals. It was always the center of a heated electoral issue for ruling mayors in colonial times. Most of them and a number of citizens back in the 1920s were torn between the possibility of keeping the original "Iglesia Mayor" (Grand Church) located in [[Parque Vidal]] or tearing it down in order to make space for a re-designed and bigger plaza and re-locating the cathedral in a nearby location. Some people insisted in keeping the original colonial building since it was one of the first and oldest standing structures of the growing city realizing its importance as heritage. Eventually it was destroyed and two years later this one was finished. Not happy with this action, Church authorities raised a formal complaint versus the city and won it.
+The construction of the cathedral went through several public controversies. It was a heated electoral issue for ruling mayors in colonial times. Most of them and a number of citizens back in the 1920s were torn between the possibility of keeping the colonial "Iglesia Mayor" (Grand Church, 1738) located in [[Parque Vidal]], or tearing it down in order to make space for a re-designed and bigger plaza and re-locating the cathedral in a nearby location. Some people insisted on keeping the historic building, since it was one of the oldest in the growing city, realizing its importance as heritage. Eventually it was destroyed and two decades later the new one was constructed. Not happy with this action, Church authorities raised a formal complaint versus the city and won, although the church has never received the compensation that was awarded.
 ==Gallery==
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Catedral Santa Clara de Asis, Cuba.jpg|Front of Saint Claire of Assisi Cathedral -->
 Image:Dibujo de la Catedral de Santa Clara de Asis, Cuba.jpg|Drawing of Santa Clara de Asís front, published in 1933.
-Image:La Catedral de Santa Clara de Asis c.1950's.jpg|Historic photo of Santa Clara Cathedral in the 50's.
+Image:La Catedral de Santa Clara de Asis c.1950s.jpg|Historic photo of Santa Clara Cathedral in the 1950s.
 Image:Frente de la Catedral de Santa Clara de Asis.jpg|Front detail of Santa Clara de Asís Cathedral.
 Image:La Catedral de Santa Clara de Asis -interior.jpg|Interior of Santa Clara de Asís Cathedral.
@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 ==Bibliography==
+* [http://diocesisdesantaclara.com/component/k2/item/3.html "Catedral"] (official website). Diócesis de Santa Clara, 2013.
-* Cristobal Garcia, Angel - ''El teatro La Caridad''. (Colección Escambray, PUBLICIGRAF (R), 1993)
-* Cristobal Garcia, Angel - ''El parque Vidal''. (Colección Escambray, PUBLICIGRAF (R), 1993)
+* Cristobal Garcia, Angel - ''El teatro La Caridad''. Colección Escambray, PUBLICIGRAF, 1993.
+* Cristobal Garcia, Angel - ''El parque Vidal''. Colección Escambray, PUBLICIGRAF, 1993.
-==References==
-{{Reflist}}
 ==External links==
@@ Line 77: / Line 75: @@
 [[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1923]]
 [[Category:Tourist attractions in Santa Clara, Cuba]]
+[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Cuba]]