Ponce Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (English: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe) or simply, Ponce Cathedral, is the cathedral
for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce
located in downtown Ponce
, Puerto Rico
. The cathedral lies in the middle of Ponce's town square
, known as Plaza Las Delicias
, located at the center of the Ponce Historic Zone
. For its historic significance, the cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1984. It is the seat of the Bishop of Ponce, currently Félix Lázaro.
The cathedral has a history that dates to 1670. It has been damaged several times by fires and earthquakes. It stands out among Puerto Rico's other four cathedrals for its intricate design. It has a large pipe organ that was played by danza
master and composer Juan Morel Campos
. Architecturally, it is designed in the neoclassical style. Structurally, it follows a cruciform plan, with a large dome at the crossing
. The interior consists of a main nave and two large ailes separated by a series of eight arcades. There are two small chapels in its interior. Two three-story square towers decorate the front facade.
was built in the center of the colonial settlement of Ponce on the site of the present cathedral. On September 17, 1692, the King of Spain, Carlos II, issued a Cédula Real (Royal Permit) designating the chapel as a parish church
. In 1835, the original parish church was demolished to build a larger church, which was completed and opened for worship in 1839. Amongst its new features were two octagonal towers on the corners of the front facade
. The original (pre-1918) towers were also three stories high and had windows on each of the sides. They were each topped with a Christian cross. The cathedral contains a number of burials within its interior.
The building was damaged by several fires and earthquake
s during the 19th and 20th centuries including the 1918 Puerto Rico Earthquake
, which caused extensive damage, including the destruction of both of the original towers. Despite this, the 1839 building forms the core of the present building, which Pope Pius XI
declared a cathedral
in 1924. The cathedral's first bishop
was Edwin Byrne
, who took charge in 1925.
From 1931 to 1937, the church was reconstructed to a design by architect
Francisco Porrata Doria
. The current facade bears a French neoclassical
style. Among these improvements were the addition of two new chapels, a new roof, the remodelling of the upper storey of the facade and the construction of two new, richly-decorated square towers. A pipe organ
was installed in 1934 and re-inaugurated in 1989 after a nine-year restoration. The building was dedicated
by Bishop James E. McManus
on April 11, 1950.
, oriented east-to-west, with its front entrance facing west. Immediately behind the cathedral, to the east, is the historic fire house, Parque de Bombas
. The two buildings effectively divide Plaza Las Delicias into two smaller plazas, named Plaza Muñoz Rivera and Plaza Degetau. Low undulating walls line the cathedral's northern and southern sides, and serve to separate it from the Plazas. Plaza Las Delicias is in barrio
Segundo
, one of the six core barrios of Ponce that compose Historic Zone designated by the Government of Puerto Rico to preserve the colonial character of the city.
, while its interior is mostly colonial and Gothic
.
The current structure is larger than the 1839 structure, having been extended on the south side in 1911 with the addition of the side chapel. It covers an area of 2960 square metre. The architecture of the cathedral is neoclassical
in style with the exterior painted pale blue and gray and the interior in blue and beige. The building has many stained glass windows depicting religious scenes and two bell towers.
plan. It features a large dome at the crossing of the transept
and the nave
. The interior consists of eight bays plus the apse
. The westernmost bay accommodates the vestibule
. Above this vestibule is a second level choir loft, accessible via a wooden stairway connected to the front wall. A large pipe organ, said to have been played by Juan Morel Campos
every Sunday for many years, is also on this second level loft.
Arcades
of semi-circular arches divide the nave from the aisle
s. On the south side of the cathedral, a large chapel, built in 1911, extends three bays parallel to the aisle. This chapel provides a more intimate place of worship than the main church or its aisles. The nave has a cross vaulted ceiling with clerestory
windows above the arcades. The cathedral's main neoclassical
altar of translucent alabaster
is a modern replacement for the original wooden gothic
altar, now located in the southern side chapel. The main altar, built in Burgos, Spain, was donated by the local Ferre
family. Except for the side chapel where terrazzo
is used, the cathedral's floor is of gray and white marble design.
on top of these. Both towers have windows at each level. Access to the towers is through either of two small wooden doors located in the interior northwest and southwest corners of the church vestibule.
Entry to the cathedral is through a tall pair of wooden doors in a style reminiscent of church doors of Middle Ages
Europe. There are two round columns to each side of these doors, as well as rectangular wooden windows to both sides. Atop the second level of the front facade there is a large triangular pediment
, and on top of this pediment sits a Christian cross considerably larger than the two atop the tower domes. There are also two statues standing at each of the two lower ends of the large triangular pediment. Except for the wooden windows and doors, all elements on the front facade are of masonry construction.
(English: "Early Mornings"), which is sung during a pre-dawn religious procession in the downtown area to celebrate the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Ponce. The event started in 1965. After the procession candle bearers attend Holy Mass at the Cathedral at 5:00 am. Up to 10,000 people attend the event. On December 24, there is also a midnight Mass known as Misa de Gallo (English: Rooster's Mass).
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and consists of the southern part of the island of Puerto Rico, an American commonwealth. The diocese is led by a prelate bishop which pastors the motherchurch in the...
located in downtown Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. The cathedral lies in the middle of Ponce's town square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
, known as Plaza Las Delicias
Plaza Las Delicias
Plaza Las Delicias is the main plaza in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The square is notable for its fountains and for the various monuments it contains. The historic Parque de Bombas and Ponce Cathedral buildings are located within Plaza Las Delicias. Plaza Las Delicias is actually composed of...
, located at the center of the Ponce Historic Zone
Ponce Historic Zone
The Ponce Historic Zone is a historic district in downtown Ponce, Puerto Rico with construction that dates to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The zone was originally designated in 1962, and then it only included the center core of the city, but it has since been expanded to...
. For its historic significance, the cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1984. It is the seat of the Bishop of Ponce, currently Félix Lázaro.
The cathedral has a history that dates to 1670. It has been damaged several times by fires and earthquakes. It stands out among Puerto Rico's other four cathedrals for its intricate design. It has a large pipe organ that was played by danza
Danza
Danza is a musical genre that originated in Ponce, a city in southern Puerto Rico. It is a popular turn-of-the-twentieth-century ballroom dance genre slightly similar to the waltz. Both the danza and its cousin the contradanza are sequence dances, performed to a pattern, usually of squares, to...
master and composer Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos , sometimes erroneously spelled Juan Morell Campos, was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level.-Early years:...
. Architecturally, it is designed in the neoclassical style. Structurally, it follows a cruciform plan, with a large dome at the crossing
Crossing (architecture)
A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform church.In a typically oriented church , the crossing gives access to the nave on the west, the transept arms on the north and south, and the choir on the east.The crossing is sometimes surmounted by a tower...
. The interior consists of a main nave and two large ailes separated by a series of eight arcades. There are two small chapels in its interior. Two three-story square towers decorate the front facade.
History
The cathedral has over 300 years of history. In 1670, a small chapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
was built in the center of the colonial settlement of Ponce on the site of the present cathedral. On September 17, 1692, the King of Spain, Carlos II, issued a Cédula Real (Royal Permit) designating the chapel as a parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
. In 1835, the original parish church was demolished to build a larger church, which was completed and opened for worship in 1839. Amongst its new features were two octagonal towers on the corners of the front facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. The original (pre-1918) towers were also three stories high and had windows on each of the sides. They were each topped with a Christian cross. The cathedral contains a number of burials within its interior.
The building was damaged by several fires and earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s during the 19th and 20th centuries including the 1918 Puerto Rico Earthquake
1918 Puerto Rico earthquake
The San Fermín earthquake, also known as the Puerto Rico earthquake of 1918, was a major earthquake that struck the island of Puerto Rico at 10:14am on October 11, 1918. The magnitude for the earthquake has been reported at around 7.5 ; however, that might not be an exact number...
, which caused extensive damage, including the destruction of both of the original towers. Despite this, the 1839 building forms the core of the present building, which Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
declared a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in 1924. The cathedral's first bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
was Edwin Byrne
Edwin Byrne
Edwin Vincent Byrne was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served in Puerto Rico, as Bishop of Ponce and Bishop of San Juan , before returning to the United States as Archbishop of Santa Fe .-Biography:Edwin Byrne was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Francis Charles and Anna...
, who took charge in 1925.
From 1931 to 1937, the church was reconstructed to a design by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Francisco Porrata Doria
Francisco Porrata Doria
Francisco Porrata-Doria was a twentieth-century Puerto Rican architect from Ponce, Puerto Rico. Porrata-Doria was a pioneer in the development of the local modern architecture and one of the architects responsible for what has been called "Ponce Monumental Architecture", of which the Banco Crédito...
. The current facade bears a French neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style. Among these improvements were the addition of two new chapels, a new roof, the remodelling of the upper storey of the facade and the construction of two new, richly-decorated square towers. A pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was installed in 1934 and re-inaugurated in 1989 after a nine-year restoration. The building was dedicated
Dedication
Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
by Bishop James E. McManus
James Edward McManus
James Edward McManus, C.SS.R. was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. A Redemptorist, he served as Bishop of Ponce in Puerto Rico and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York ....
on April 11, 1950.
Location
The cathedral sits in the center of the Ponce's central square, Plaza Las DeliciasPlaza Las Delicias
Plaza Las Delicias is the main plaza in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The square is notable for its fountains and for the various monuments it contains. The historic Parque de Bombas and Ponce Cathedral buildings are located within Plaza Las Delicias. Plaza Las Delicias is actually composed of...
, oriented east-to-west, with its front entrance facing west. Immediately behind the cathedral, to the east, is the historic fire house, Parque de Bombas
Parque de Bombas
Parque de Bombas is a historic firehouse building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is one of Puerto Rico's most notable buildings, with some considering it "by far the most easily recognized landmark in the Island". It is located at the Plaza Las Delicias town square, directly behind the Ponce Cathedral...
. The two buildings effectively divide Plaza Las Delicias into two smaller plazas, named Plaza Muñoz Rivera and Plaza Degetau. Low undulating walls line the cathedral's northern and southern sides, and serve to separate it from the Plazas. Plaza Las Delicias is in barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
Segundo
Segundo (Ponce)
Segundo is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Primero, Tercero, Cuarto, Quinto, and Sexto, Segundo is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
, one of the six core barrios of Ponce that compose Historic Zone designated by the Government of Puerto Rico to preserve the colonial character of the city.
The building
The building's exterior architecture is NeoclassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
, while its interior is mostly colonial and Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
.
The current structure is larger than the 1839 structure, having been extended on the south side in 1911 with the addition of the side chapel. It covers an area of 2960 square metre. The architecture of the cathedral is neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
in style with the exterior painted pale blue and gray and the interior in blue and beige. The building has many stained glass windows depicting religious scenes and two bell towers.
Interior plan
The footprint of the cathedral is of a cruciformCruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
plan. It features a large dome at the crossing of the transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
and the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
. The interior consists of eight bays plus the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. The westernmost bay accommodates the vestibule
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
. Above this vestibule is a second level choir loft, accessible via a wooden stairway connected to the front wall. A large pipe organ, said to have been played by Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos , sometimes erroneously spelled Juan Morell Campos, was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level.-Early years:...
every Sunday for many years, is also on this second level loft.
Arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
of semi-circular arches divide the nave from the aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s. On the south side of the cathedral, a large chapel, built in 1911, extends three bays parallel to the aisle. This chapel provides a more intimate place of worship than the main church or its aisles. The nave has a cross vaulted ceiling with clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
windows above the arcades. The cathedral's main neoclassical
Neoclassical sculpture
Neoclassical sculpture was a sculptural style of the 18th and 19th centuries. The neoclassical period was one of the great ages of public sculpture, though its "classical" prototypes were more likely to be Roman copies of Hellenistic sculptures. The neoclassical sculptors paid homage to an idea of...
altar of translucent alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
is a modern replacement for the original wooden gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
altar, now located in the southern side chapel. The main altar, built in Burgos, Spain, was donated by the local Ferre
Luis A. Ferré
Don Luis Alberto Ferré Aguayo was a Puerto Rican engineer, industrialist, politician, philanthropist, and a patron of the arts. He was the third Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973, and the founding father of the New Progressive Party which advocates for Puerto Rico...
family. Except for the side chapel where terrazzo
Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a composite material poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of marble, quartz, granite, glass or other suitable chips, sprinkled or unsprinkled, and poured with a binder that is cementitious, chemical or a combination of both...
is used, the cathedral's floor is of gray and white marble design.
The front facade
The western front facade is flanked by two square towers. They are both three stories high topped with silver domes and a Christian crossChristian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
on top of these. Both towers have windows at each level. Access to the towers is through either of two small wooden doors located in the interior northwest and southwest corners of the church vestibule.
Entry to the cathedral is through a tall pair of wooden doors in a style reminiscent of church doors of Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Europe. There are two round columns to each side of these doors, as well as rectangular wooden windows to both sides. Atop the second level of the front facade there is a large triangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
, and on top of this pediment sits a Christian cross considerably larger than the two atop the tower domes. There are also two statues standing at each of the two lower ends of the large triangular pediment. Except for the wooden windows and doors, all elements on the front facade are of masonry construction.
Events
On December 12, the Cathedral hosts the annual event known as "Las Mañanitas", named after the Mexican birthday songLas Mañanitas
Las Mañanitas is a traditional Mexican birthday song sung in many Latin American countries at birthday parties, usually sung before eating cake and especially as part of the custom of serenading unmarried women. The tradition of the song can be tracked back to 1896 in the mexican city Zacatecas...
(English: "Early Mornings"), which is sung during a pre-dawn religious procession in the downtown area to celebrate the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Ponce. The event started in 1965. After the procession candle bearers attend Holy Mass at the Cathedral at 5:00 am. Up to 10,000 people attend the event. On December 24, there is also a midnight Mass known as Misa de Gallo (English: Rooster's Mass).
Hours
Except for the Las Mañanitas event, the cathedral is open Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 12:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.Further reading
- Marvel, Thomas S. and Moreno, Maria Luisa. Architecture of Parish: Churches in Puerto Rico. Rio Piedras, P.R.: Editorial Universitaria, unpublished.
- Historic Photographs, c.1910, Junghanns Collection, General Archives of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR.
External links
- "Las mañanitas" at Spanish wikisource.
- Postcard. Exterior of the Cathedral before the earthquake of 1918.
- 1940s Postcard. Interior of Ponce Cathedral showing the altar before the Ferré donation.
- Photo of Cathedral showing the towers before the 1918 earthquake.
- Interior of the Cathedral circa 1910.
- The Cathedral during its 1930s restauration
- Interior of the Cathedral in the 1940s
- Close up of the Cathedral's altar in the 1930s
- Plaza Las Delicias (Muñoz Rivera side) looking west c. 1908
- Youtube - Celebration of Las Mañanitas in Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Photos of the Cathedral in 1910 and 1984. Historic Churches of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office and the Junghanns Collection, General Archives of P.R. c.1910. National Park Service, Listing Reference Number 84000467. December 10, 1984.
- Catedrales Catolicas del Mundo: Catedral de Ponce, Puerto Rico. (In Spanish. English title: Catholic Cathedrals of the World: Cathedral of Ponce, Puerto Rico.)