The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-09-20
SPLENDID EDIFIcEs ATTEST THE
FAITH OF CATHOLICS IN SOUTH
ERN REPUBLICS.

Going to the length of the southern
half of the western hemisphere
through the cities and villages of the
cultured areas of what is vaguely
known in the United States as Central
and South America, the one striking
thing met with everywhere is the
church, the Cathedral. No place, says
a writer in the New York Times
seems too poor or too small for it, and
the least of the many Cathedrals in
the numerous republics would be con
sidered worthy of great city in the
United States, being of high cost
enough and of more than ordinary
architectural merit.
First of all to consider, not so much
for it's superiority as for its history, is
founded the same day as the city by
Pizarro, the conqueror, destroyer, and
builder. In the place of what he de-
stroyed Pizarro substituted one of the
fascinating settlements of the world
1t took him fifteen years to pacify the
outraged people of Peru, but mean
while he had laid out the City of Lima
and dedicated the cornerstone of the
Cathedral This was in 1886. In it he
lies buried before a great silver altar.
The interior of the Cathedral is vast
and dim, and there are many side
chapels and sacred pictures, some OF
which are by Peruvian artists.
A City of Churches.
The Cathedral of Lima is built of
gray stone of the same tone as the
surrounding landscape, the background
of which is of gray sand, from the
plain to the winters snow line. The
building fills the whole OF one side OF
the Plaza de Armas, a paved square
interspersed with flower beds, benches
and a music pavilion, this forming the
gathering place of Lima.
Lima is city of churches, and the
Cathedral is more than equaled by sew
eral others in beauty and interest, il
not in age. The construction of the
city around this square, which was
the nucleus of the city's growth from
the earliest foundation, is character
istic Of the capitals of the southerly
republics.
Fine illustrations of the early Colo
nial construction are seen in Panama
Caracas, Bogota, and Quito. At Sucre
in Bolivia, and Asuncion, Paraguay, eli
matte, racial, and architectural con
ditions modify this impression and
leave it less distinctive.
Cathedral at Caracas.
The Cathedral at Caracas is built oi
stucco, as stone was not easily OBJ
tainable in the neighborhood. That
material was fortunately chosen, as
it seems to have been able to resist
the severe earthquakes which have
from time to time brought devastation
to the city. The building has many oil
the attractive features familiar to those
who have seen the mission churches
in the western part of the United
States, but it is noticeably larger
being the seat of an Archbishop. Its
single tower dominates the city; the
front faces the famous Palace Boliva
although it does not occupy the en-
tire length of the square, while the
undecorated side gives no more than
a hint of the size of the interior There
are within several mural paintings by
famous artists. especially noteworthy
being "The Last Supper" by Michel
ena, native genius.
The original city of Panama was de-
stroyed by Morgan in 1870, but the
newer and the present city, six miles
from the ruins of the old, has Cathe.
dral the foundation of which was laid
shortly after. The building was com
pleted in $780, It's structural material
is stone, brought on the backs of In
dians many miles from the quarries
| in the interior highlands.
Bogota and Quito.
Bogota and Quito being in the noun.
tains and away from the ocean high.
ways of the Colonial times, were
deeply affected by the ideas Of ecclesi-
astical architecture introduced by the
conquerors. Both cities are even more
abundantly supplied with churches
than are Caracas and Panama. Differ
ent forces were at work, however, and
the results were different. In Bogota
tne tail facade, the twin towers, w1rE
the inclosed bells, all found to some
degree in the other Cathedrals, show
the unchanged pattern of the day.
In Quito less lofty style Of building
was erected, and there are traceable
elements of Moorish influence. Tow
ers are absent, their places being TAX
en- by domes. A contrast of similar
nature is noticeable in the very old
Cathedral at Sucre, the original cap
ital of Bolivia, and that of the Cathe-
dral at Asuncion, capital of Paraguay.
The former has a fat roof and modest
single story facade, while the latter
reproduces the twin towers, the fa-
cade, and the pointed pinnacle between
them The majority of churches and
Cathedrals represent this second
feature OF Colonial architecture.
cordova.
Cordova, in the Argentine Republic,
has unusual touches reminiscent of the
Moorish style, and it's Cathedral is
considered one of the most attractive
in South America. Many churches, con-
structed even at later date, have re-
tanned the principal characteristics of
the original designs brought over by