Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

Puerto Rico


Consecrated in 1760, Mayagüez’ original Catholic church was replaced by the current model in 1836. The cathedral suffered many blows over the subsequent 80 years, culminating in the 1918 earthquake. Despite ambitious schemes, full refurbishment wasn’t actually completed until 2004. The cathedral now sparkles afresh and survives as one of Puerto Rico’s most evocative ecclesial monuments, with gilded scenes from the life of Christ behind the altar.


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