Convents

These are buildings on which communities from religious orders which are governed under the same common rules of congregation reside. In Antigua Guatemala during the Colonial times, many emerged parallel to the religious heyday of the era.

The first convent in the city was that of Santo Domingo, with a building that goes way back to 1529 by Fray Domingo de Betanzos.

It was Fray Pedro de Angulo who acted as vicar empowered to impose the vows, being Agustín de Salablanca, of European origin, the first one to take them in the city.

Around 1550 the university instruction of Theology was established in this place.

The second convent was that of the Franciscans, and although its history begins in 1530, when they were granted the place for the building, it was not until 1540 when it was recognized. On the second half of the XX Century it was given authority to become Archdiocesan Sanctuary of Hermano Pedro.

The third convent is Nuestra Señora de la Merced, (Our Lady of La Merced) and with the arrival of the Mercedarians the first two centers of this congregation were founded in the continent. The Mercedarians left a very clear imprint, since they started founding convents all around the Kingdom of Guatemala.

Inside this church the image of Jesus with the rising cross is still preserved. It is considered one of the most beautiful existing images in the whole country and it attracts a big amount of devotees.

After that one, the School of the Company of Jesus followed with authorization on August 9, 1561, with the title of Saint Luke. Its formal temple was inaugurated on July 18, 1626.

Church Convent of Saint Clara, founded on January 14, 1700. It is found in front of the Tank La Unión.

Afterwards the Augustinian order founded its own in 1610, initially established somewhere else. It was transferred to the houses left by the religious sisters of Saint Catherine Martir.

In 1636 the convent of the religious of San Juan de Dios is founded, who helped take care of the sick in the hospitals, treating in separate places, the Spaniards, mulattos, indigenous and members of the church.

The convent of Our Lady of Bethlehem was founded by Pedro de San José de Betancurt in 1653. The place was small, with a floor covered with straw and it helped take care of the sick that were picked up in the streets. They were especially dedicated to indoctrinate the young and with time they built the church. This was the beginning of the propagation of the Order of the Bethlemites, who with their work obtained different kindness from the Popes. In many occasions the Maximum Pontiffs have declared themselves as Protectors of the Order.

The foundation of the School of the Crucified Christ followed, and with the respective authorization of July 16, 1700 the convent and church buildings were started, originally of hay and with a humble altar and sanctuary, where they had since 1701 the Blessed Sacrament.

At the end, the Casa de la Congregación del Oratorio de San Felipe de Neri in the hermitage of Vera Cruz was founded. This temple later took the name of Saint Michael, where afterwards the School of Christ was founded. It was characterized, because although it cared for a small group, it distinguished with members and clergymen of exemplary lives, such as don Juan José de Bedolla and others who later on founded the Congregation of the Oratorio Neriano.