Catedral De San Felipe Apóstol (Arecibo, Puerto Rico) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The Cathedral of St. Philip the Apostle ( Spanish: ''Catedral de San Felipe Apóstol'') is the
The first iteration of the church was established sometime between the Spanish settlement of Arecibo in 1556 and the official founding of the town of Arecibo in 1616. The first parish church, built in the middle of the 17th century, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1787."Arecibo: Founding and History.
Accessed 11 September 2019. The current cathedral building, dedicated to Saint Philip the Apostle, was build during different stages between the late 18th century and 1846 due to the impact of hurricanes and earthquakes throughout its edification process. Four days after its official dedication in 1846, it was seriously damaged by another earthquake. Repairs were not completed until 1882, seven years after yet another earthquake that impacted Puerto Rico in 1875. The 1918 earthquake further damaged the vault so badly that it had to be replaced by a flat concrete roof; a vaulted ceiling of composition board was placed inside. The parish church became a cathedral when the Diocese of Arecibo was established in April 30, 1960. Although not ultimately listed in the federal historic register itself, it was added to the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones and it was one of 31 Puerto Rican churches listed as part of the Historic Churches of Puerto Rico
File:Arecibo - Iglesia y Plaza.jpg, Cathedral façade in 1965
File:Catedral de Arecibo rear quarter - Arecibo Puerto Rico.jpg, Cathedral rear in 2017
Roman Catholic Diocese of Arecibo
(Official Site in Spanish)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catedral de San Felipe Apostol (Arecibo, Puerto Rico) 18th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States Religious organizations established in 1616 San Felipe Apostol Buildings and structures in Arecibo, Puerto Rico Spanish Colonial architecture in Puerto Rico 1616 establishments in New Spain
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
cathedral
A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
of Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Arecibo (; ) is a Arecibo barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado, Puerto Rico, Utuado and Ciales, Puerto Rico, Ciale ...
, and the seat of the Diocese of Arecibo since its establishment in 1960.
Description
The cathedral of Arecibo is Puerto Rico's second-largest church after the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of San Juan. The plan is rectangular with three naves; the side naves are cut short to allow large flanking chapels, which occupy almost half the length of the church. The apse is semicircular, and has an unusual half-dome covering it. The facade is a triangular composition of three stages. The top stage, a short central tower, is a later addition, according to local architects and historians. Neoclassic ornamentation is used in an academic fashion on the lowest stage, but the other two show a less traditional use of bands and pilasters. The Renaissance-style windows are uncommon in Puerto Rican churches, but the central tower over the entrance is a common motif used throughout the island.History
The first iteration of the church was established sometime between the Spanish settlement of Arecibo in 1556 and the official founding of the town of Arecibo in 1616. The first parish church, built in the middle of the 17th century, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1787.Accessed 11 September 2019. The current cathedral building, dedicated to Saint Philip the Apostle, was build during different stages between the late 18th century and 1846 due to the impact of hurricanes and earthquakes throughout its edification process. Four days after its official dedication in 1846, it was seriously damaged by another earthquake. Repairs were not completed until 1882, seven years after yet another earthquake that impacted Puerto Rico in 1875. The 1918 earthquake further damaged the vault so badly that it had to be replaced by a flat concrete roof; a vaulted ceiling of composition board was placed inside. The parish church became a cathedral when the Diocese of Arecibo was established in April 30, 1960. Although not ultimately listed in the federal historic register itself, it was added to the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones and it was one of 31 Puerto Rican churches listed as part of the Historic Churches of Puerto Rico
multiple property submission
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
(MPS).
Gallery
See also
* List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States * List of cathedrals in the United States *Catholic Church in the United States
The Catholic Church in the United States is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in full communion, communion with the pope, who as of 2025 is Chicago, Illinois-born Pope Leo XIV, Leo XIV. With 23 percent of the United States' population , t ...
References
External links
Roman Catholic Diocese of Arecibo
(Official Site in Spanish)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catedral de San Felipe Apostol (Arecibo, Puerto Rico) 18th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States Religious organizations established in 1616 San Felipe Apostol Buildings and structures in Arecibo, Puerto Rico Spanish Colonial architecture in Puerto Rico 1616 establishments in New Spain