Cathedral of San Fernando
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of San Fernando is a cathedral
of the Roman Catholic Church
located in San Antonio, Texas
, in the United States
. It is the mother church
of the Archdiocese of San Antonio
and the seat of its archbishop
. The cathedral is also known as the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It is notable as the oldest cathedral in the United States.
, who ruled in the 13th century. The baptismal font
, believed to be a gift from Charles III
, who became King of Spain from 1759, is the oldest piece of liturgical
furnishing in the cathedral. The cathedral was built by immigrants from the Canary Islands
, for this reason the interior is a picture of the Virgin of Candelaria
, the patroness of the Canary Islands.
In 1831, Jim Bowie married Ursula de Veramendi in San Fernando.
In 1836, the cathedral, still a parish church, played a role in the Battle of the Alamo
when Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna
hoisted a flag of "no quarter
" from the church's tower, marking the beginning of the siege.
In 1868, the cathedral was considerably enlarged in the Gothic
style, the addition forming the existing nave
. The carved stone Stations of the Cross
were added in 1874. The striking stained glass
windows were added in 1920.
On September 13, 1987, the cathedral was visited by Pope John Paul II
, during the only visit of a pope to Texas. A marble stone marker commemorates the event.
religious life of San Antonio, and this includes involvement in annual events such as the Fiesta Week. Over 5,000 participate at weekend Masses each week of the year. Over 900 baptisms, 100 weddings, 100 funerals, and countless other services and special events are performed each year, most notably in the staging of the Good Friday
Passion Play
, which attracts thousands of visitors.
In February 2006, the cathedral began a year-long celebration recognizing San Antonio’s 275th Anniversary.
The 2003 renovation was supervised by Father Richard S. Vosko
, a liturgical design consultant and priest of the Diocese of Albany who has overseen the redesign and renovation of numerous churches and cathedrals around the country.
, breaking from the design envisioned for the cathedral restoration, reversed some of the prior alterations, unveiling a new altar
(permanently affixed to the floor closer to the sanctuary and made from made of stone from Spain, Turkey and Israel); a new traditional bishop's chair or cathedra
(crafted of white oak and resting on an extended sanctuary floor made of tile); relocating the baptismal font
from the back of the church back to the front next to the lectern
(opening up space for processions into the church from Main Plaza); and installing a new railing behind the altar to section off the sanctuary (to prevent people visiting the retablo
from straying onto the altar). The 2011 improvement project was paid for with $150,000 in donations from parishioners and outside donors. As part of the dedication, the archbishop placed three relics in the altar. There are two relics of St. Anthony of Padua, a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of San Antonio; and a third relic is of Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida
, also known as Conchita, who inspired the formation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit
(Archbishop Garcia-Siller was ordained a priest to the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit in 1984) as well as 16 other spirituality inspired Catholic organizations.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
located in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Archdiocese of San Antonio
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio encompasses in Texas.The archdiocese includes the city of San Antonio and the following counties: Val Verde, Edwards, Kerr, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Guadalupe, Gonzales, Uvalde, Kinney, Medina, Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, Frio, Atascosa, and McMullen.On...
and the seat of its archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
. The cathedral is also known as the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe and is 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...
. It is notable as the oldest cathedral in the United States.
History
The original church of San Fernando was built between 1738 and 1750. The walls of that church today form the sanctuary of the cathedral, which gives rise to its claim as the oldest cathedral in the United States. The church was named for Ferdinand III of CastileFerdinand III of Castile
Saint Ferdinand III, T.O.S.F., was the King of Castile from 1217 and León from 1230. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of Castile. Through his second marriage he was also Count of Aumale. He finished the work done by his maternal grandfather Alfonso VIII and consolidated the...
, who ruled in the 13th century. The baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
, believed to be a gift from Charles III
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
, who became King of Spain from 1759, is the oldest piece of liturgical
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
furnishing in the cathedral. The cathedral was built by immigrants from the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, for this reason the interior is a picture of the Virgin of Candelaria
Virgin of Candelaria
The cult of the Virgin of Candelaria or Our Lady of Candelaria , popularly called La Morenita, celebrates an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands . The center of worship is located in the city of Candelaria in Tenerife. She is depicted as a Black Madonna...
, the patroness of the Canary Islands.
In 1836, the cathedral, still a parish church, played a role in the Battle of the Alamo
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
when Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
hoisted a flag of "no quarter
No quarter
A victor gives no quarter when the victor shows no clemency or mercy and refuses to spare the life in return for the surrender at discretion of a vanquished opponent....
" from the church's tower, marking the beginning of the siege.
In 1868, the cathedral was considerably enlarged in the Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style, the addition forming the existing 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 carved stone Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
were added in 1874. The striking stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows were added in 1920.
On September 13, 1987, the cathedral was visited by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, during the only visit of a pope to Texas. A marble stone marker commemorates the event.
Today
The cathedral remains at the heart of the CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
religious life of San Antonio, and this includes involvement in annual events such as the Fiesta Week. Over 5,000 participate at weekend Masses each week of the year. Over 900 baptisms, 100 weddings, 100 funerals, and countless other services and special events are performed each year, most notably in the staging of the Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
Passion Play
Passion play
A Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering and death. It is a traditional part of Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in Catholic tradition....
, which attracts thousands of visitors.
In February 2006, the cathedral began a year-long celebration recognizing San Antonio’s 275th Anniversary.
2003 Restoration
In 2003, a $15 million restoration project was undertaken which involved three phases:- Phase One - restoration and stabilization of the cathedral foundation and structure and its enhancement for liturgy and other events. Among the changes, the altar was relocated to a movable platform closer to the center of the church to enhance the experience for Mass (the platform could be wheeled away for special events) and the baptismal font was relocated to the back of the church into the main aisle.
- Phase Two - replacement of the current rectory with a new Cathedral Centre which will have a small cafeteria, counseling rooms, museum, gift shop, reception room, television control room, and vesting sacristy.
- Phase Three - construction of a community centre to house community and social services, meeting rooms, a hall, church offices, and a residence for the priests.
The 2003 renovation was supervised by Father Richard S. Vosko
Richard S. Vosko
Richard S. Vosko is a liturgical design consultant and priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany who has overseen the redesign and renovation of numerous churches and cathedrals around the country. Vosko has worked throughout the U.S. and Canada as a designer and consultant for worship...
, a liturgical design consultant and priest of the Diocese of Albany who has overseen the redesign and renovation of numerous churches and cathedrals around the country.
2011 Restoration
In 2011, Archbishop Gustavo García-SillerGustavo Garcia-Siller
Gustavo Garcia-Siller, M.Sp.S. is a Mexican American prelate of the Catholic Church of the Western Roman Rite...
, breaking from the design envisioned for the cathedral restoration, reversed some of the prior alterations, unveiling a new altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
(permanently affixed to the floor closer to the sanctuary and made from made of stone from Spain, Turkey and Israel); a new traditional bishop's chair or cathedra
Cathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
(crafted of white oak and resting on an extended sanctuary floor made of tile); relocating the baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
from the back of the church back to the front next to the lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
(opening up space for processions into the church from Main Plaza); and installing a new railing behind the altar to section off the sanctuary (to prevent people visiting the retablo
Retablo
A Retablo or lamina is a Latin American devotional painting, especially a small popular or folk art one using iconography derived from traditional Catholic church art....
from straying onto the altar). The 2011 improvement project was paid for with $150,000 in donations from parishioners and outside donors. As part of the dedication, the archbishop placed three relics in the altar. There are two relics of St. Anthony of Padua, a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of San Antonio; and a third relic is of Venerable Concepcion Cabrera de Armida
Concepcion Cabrera de Armida
The Venerable Concepción Cabrera de Armida was a Mexican Roman Catholic mystic and writer....
, also known as Conchita, who inspired the formation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit
Missionaries of the Holy Spirit
The Missionaries of the Holy Spirit are a Catholic religious order founded in Mexico City in 1914 by Félix de Jesús Rougier . Rougier was a priest, member of another religious order, the Society of Mary...
(Archbishop Garcia-Siller was ordained a priest to the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit in 1984) as well as 16 other spirituality inspired Catholic organizations.