The "The Glorius Cathredral On Cristo Street" Story

It was an ordinary day.  That was until I walked into one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen.  And to top that off, it is the second oldest church in the Western Hemisphere and the oldest church on U.S. soil.  Goes all the way back to when Christopher Columbus landed in Puerto Rico in 1493 and christened it San Juan Bautista.  

Catedral de San Juan Bautista on Calle del Cristo is the seat of the Archdiocese of Puerto Rico and dates back to 1521.  The building that I am standing in is not the original church, since that thatched-roof church was destroyed in the hurricane of 1529.  This church dates to 1540, but has been altered several times over the years as well as being subjected to looting by troops under the Earl of Cumberland who raided the city in 1598.  As I walked throughout the cathedral I marveled at the beautiful stained glass windows and the myriad of chapel altars.  Mass was being offered in one chapel and the music echoed off the stone and marble walls.  

I found the location of the remains of the conquis- tador Ponce de Leon who was the first governor of Puerto Rico and famous for chasing after the Fountain of Youth and also found the glass box that holds the wax-covered mummified remains of St. Pio, a Roman martyr killed for his faith and placed in the church.  Must say it was rather spooky standing in front of the box seeing what at one time was a living person.  The Gothic-inspired architecture of the Cathedral makes it Puerto Rico's grandest religious building.  The massive doors leading into the church were one of the highlights of my photo session in this remarkable church.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Remains of Ponce de Leon are in this marble tomb.

The towers of a few of the chapels can be seen above the roof.

One of the many chapels off of the main church.

The main altar. 

The beautiful arches and architecture above the altar.

A service in being offered in another chapel of the church.

The wax-covered mummified remains of St. Pio.

To the right as you enter the Cathedral is this altar.

A beautiful statue of Jesus on the other side of the entrance.

The magnificent entrance into the Cathedral.