Cathedral of Saint Joseph

The Cathedral was founded and declared on the same day that the City of James of the Knights was founded: November 22, 1527.

This is an important milestone in history, because the Bishop Francisco Marroquín became the first of his kind consecrated in America.

The cathedral was built under the supervision of Architect José de Porres. He also built many other churches in the New World and it is believed that he introduced the Salomon style column to Guatemalan architecture. This kind of column is very peculiar because it uses spirals that give buildings a sense of movement.

The Cathedral we see today is a second building erected from the ruins of the former, in 1669. It was inaugurated in 1680.
In its day, it was considered the most beautiful and luxurious church in Central America. It was appointed a Metropolitan Cathedral in 1743.

The house of many sacred images

The Cathedral is the home of Buried Christ of Saint Joseph, consecrated on January 30, 1982 by request of the Parson, Filadelfo Vega, and the image's faithful.

There is also the image of Our Lady of Succors, who many faithful visit to request her intercession.

In this same manner, it established its place in history. The Books of the Noble Municipal Government (Extraordinary Government of February 1, 1705) state that an intimidating volcanic activity with loud explosions, ash, and sand hid the rays of the sun and enveloped the city in darkness.

It was requested that, that same afternoon, the Christ in the Cross and Our Lady of Succors be taken out in procession, and to begin prayers and sermons to appease the Divine fury. And the story goes that, after noon, the sky was so dark that it became necessary to move a table from the inside to be able to write, and that when the prayers ended the sky started to clear up and the last few clouds remaining dissipated when the sacred images were taken out in procession.

Memories of a giant

Under the huge building there are many crypts that were used to bury the prominent faithful. Many believe that these crypts communicated with the convents of the city. Such structures exist elsewhere in Antigua and they permitted the safe passage between buildings, such as the ones found under the ancient palace of the National Police in Guatemala City.