Parishes and hermitages, a history of constant change

In La Antigua Guatemala, throughout time, many of the temples changed its status for different reasons.

Many of these changes responded to internal administrative needs of the church; for example, the necessary attention or specific care of a congregation or religious order. Other changes had this same reason, but as a consequence of the deterioration of the original buildings due to the earthquakes that lashed the city.

The first three parishes and the beginning of changes

The Parish of Santiago was the first one in Guatemala and later, after a series of changes, it would turn into the Cathedral. Its foundation comes from the own foundation of the City of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, on November 22, 1527.

This temple can be appreciated in the center of La Antigua Guatemala, in front of the Central Park.

Saint Sebastian was the second parish, which suffered great damage on its structure due to the earthquakes in 1565. For this, the Noble and Christian Town Hall of the City agreed to name the church after a saint, hoping to obtain its tutelage and in this form, avoid any further damage to the new building. They agreed upon the martyr Saint Sebastian.

They attempted to build the hermitage on a hill called San Felipe and made vows to solemnly visit it on procession from the Cathedral every year; but since it was too far away and the ascension was difficult they decided to change it to the present place, keeping a record of this in the Cabildo of January 29, 1580. It was used for the first time in 1582 and declared a parish by Don Fray Gómez Fernández de Córdova, a few years later. In 1689 it was severely affected by a strong earthquake. It was rebuilt and opens its doors once again in 1692.

It is located between the street “Calle del Desengaño” and the street “Calle Ancha de los Herreros”, at the end of the street of Saint Sebastian, close to the church of La Merced.

The third declared parish corresponds to Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies), the most ancient after the parish of Santiago. As an intriguing fact, it is worthwhile mentioning that when it was rebuilt in the year 1575 it was covered with tiles, where previously it had been covered with straw. The orders to turn it into a parish date from the years 1587 and 1594. It was given to the care of the Augustinian Religious Order around the year 1625.

The temple is located following the street “Calle de los Pasos”, passing by the Church of Christ toward the end, a few meters after the bridge.

Afterwards they had the Parish Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (Our Lady of Candlemas). In the meanwhile in Ciudad Vieja, in the outskirts of La Antigua Guatemala, they added the parishes of Our Lady of Remedies, also called “El Calvario” (The Calvary), and that of Vera Cruz.

Hermitages

In 1542 the first church was built in La Antigua Guatemala, which was the hermitage of Saint Lucia, and was designed in 1543 as temporary cathedral while they constructed the formal one. However, historically the hermitage of the Holy Cross is recognized as the oldest one. This was administrated by the religious of Santo Domingo and had many churchgoers and devotees of the image of the Virgin. We can also mention the hermitage del Santo Calvario (of the Holy Cavalry), inaugurated on November 19, 1618.

We cannot omit the noble hermitage and hospital of Saint Lazarus. This was founded in 1638 as the answer to the need of many sick that remained on the streets. The purpose was to render help outside the city, in order to avoid a bigger spread. The building was affected by the earthquakes of 1717. Rebuilding works were started, a labor that extended with the years. It was torn down by Don Miguel de Pedroza for safety reasons, given the deterioration of the structures. There was an attempt of reconstruction, but the earthquake of 1773 destroyed the hermitage as well as the hospital.