Church and Convent of the Order of Bethlehem

It is located on the Street of Brother Pedro and is linked to the life of this man of God born in the Canary Islands. In its day, the Order of Bethlehem was also known as the “Order of the Brothers of Bethlehem”.

There is a statue of Saint Brother Pedro in a small garden. A few meters away from the temple there is a small house where the apostle used to live and where he died in April 1667. The place was founded in 1666, one year before the Saint passed on. The land where it stands was at one time a slaughterhouse called the “Prairie of the Milkmaids”.

Saint Brother Peter wanted to help the sick and permission was granted to him almost immediately to build a hospital. Around 1860 the complex was taken over by Capuchin monks.

It went through several administrations and has even been a center for catholic retreats for traditional schools under the name of “The Hostel of Bethlehem”.

Its façade is very much ornamented and exhibits several images, including a Nativity Scene, Brother Pedro and several angels and cherubs. Two sheep are almost unnoticeable because they are somewhat hidden by the masonry.

Location in La Antigua Guatemala Click here and go to the interactive map.

A Noble founder

Saint Brother Peter not only founded the Order of Bethlehem; he also instated the custom of setting up Nativity Scenes, which represent the birth of the Child Jesus.

He was very fond of children and made great efforts to teach the population to read and to write.

It is believed that he also started the custom of organizing “posadas”, small processions reminiscent of the Virgin Mary’s and Saint Joseph’s search for shelter in Bethlehem.

Saint Brother Peter himself drafted the bylaws that define the lifestyle of the order. The bylaws are based on the way of life of its founder, who believed that prayer and effort were the cornerstones of worthwhile labor.

His Holiness John Paul II appointed him Saint on July 30, 2002 during a ceremony held in Guatemala.