Catholic Church in Venezuela: Caracas Cathedral celebrates 157 years of consecration

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Caracas, capital of Venezuela, today celebrates 157 years of having been consecrated. In the framework of this anniversary, the Archdiocesan Archive of Caracas reviewed the various changes that the temple has undergone since its construction and the great historical relevance it has had for the country.

The cathedral was consecrated on August 12, 1867. According to the Catholic Encyclopediathis consecration is a solemn act in which a certain building is dedicated exclusively to divine worship, marking it as a sacred place where sacraments and other liturgies will be celebrated.

This custom, inherited from the apostolic era, leaves an indelible mark on the building due to which it can never be transferred to common or profane uses. The anniversary of the consecration is solemnly celebrated as a first-class double feast with an octave each year recurring, until the church falls into ruin or is desecrated.

“Since its consecration, the Cathedral has been the spiritual heart of Caracas. Its doors have always been open to receive all those seeking refuge, comfort and hope. “He has witnessed the most important moments in the lives of many generations,” highlighted the Archdiocese of Caracas. through his Instagram account.

“May our Mother Church continue to be a place of meeting, prayer and testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ for many more years,” he added.

Brief history and relevant facts of the Caracas Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Santa Ana dates back to 1577, just 10 years after the founding of Caracas. In the place where the building stands today, a first stone temple was built, “small but solid,” as the archdiocesan archive shares.

In 1636, King Philip IV of Spain ordered the transfer of the episcopal see from the city of Coro to Caracas and in 1638, the original temple finally acquired the title of Cathedral. This first church was destroyed in 1641 by an earthquake, and provisionally rebuilt until 1665, when the construction of a larger temple was commissioned.

In 1709 the High Altar was placed under the first vault. Except for the last remodeling in the 20th century, explains the archdiocesan archive, the altar has remained in the same place until today without major changes.

In 1711 a new façade was built, and in 1723 the Cathedral reached its current structure: five naves, four side chapels and the Great Chapel or Nave of Saint Peter, as well as a tower with 10 bells, the tallest building in Caracas for the time (30 meters today).

In 1812, another earthquake completely destroyed the site. Being rebuilt respecting the previous distribution and dimensions. Furthermore, during this historical period, the Caracas Cathedral was the scene of important episodes of the War of Independence in Venezuela.

For the tercentenary of the founding of Caracas, in 1867, the temple was consecrated after a reform ordered by the Archbishop of Caracas, Mons. Silvestre Guevara y Lira.

Already in the 20th century, in 1933, the tile roof was replaced with a platform, the marble floor was changed and the columns were thinned. These works, carried out by Gustavo Wallis, were not completed due to lack of resources and it would not be until 1967, when Wallis himself would be in charge of the last major remodeling of the Cathedral.

In accordance with the provisions of the Second Vatican Council, modifications were made to the main altar, the presbytery was expanded, four columns were removed and a new white marble archiepiscopal throne was placed.