St. Anthony's Basilica (Táchira)

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Facade of the church

The Antoniusbasilika ( Spanish Basílica de San Antonio de Padua ) is a Roman Catholic church in the border town of San Antonio del Táchira in the Venezuelan state of Táchira . The church of the Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de Venezuela was completed in 1967 and has the title of a minor basilica .

history

In 1724 Eugenio Sánchez Osario donated half of his court, which included the entire population of San Antonio, for a parish and built the chapel of Anthony of Padua to reach an independent parish. The quarrels in Bogota lasted until 1737, when the first parish in the border town with Colombia was approved. The first church is said to have existed in 1763, which Simon Bolivar also visited in 1821 during the War of Independence . From 1840 the church fell into disrepair, after which the foundation stone was laid for a new church in 1860, which was completed in 1914.

As the community grew, a larger church became necessary in the 1950s, and construction began in 1958. In 1967 the church was consecrated . Twelve stained glass windows depicting the life of Anthony of Padua were installed in 1970, and more followed in 1972, including in the chapel of the Virgin of Light. The floor was covered with granite in 1974.

Pope Francis elevated the church to a minor basilica in 2017 as the third in the state of Táchira after the Basilica of Maria Trost and the Basilica of the Holy Spirit . The solemn proclamation took place on June 3, 2017 by Nuncio Aldo Giordano and Bishop Mario del Valle Moronta Rodríguez . A large statue of the Apostle Paul was unveiled during the celebrations .

architecture

The central part of the wide double tower facade on Plaza Bolivar has three entrances. The bell towers protrude from the façade as a square top, on top of which is a larger, round floor with clocks and a smaller floor with a cross on the pointed dome. The three-aisled basilica has narrow side aisles , the central nave is roofed with barrel vaults with stitch caps . In front of the chancel there is a crossing dome on a drum , from which long transepts extend.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Basílica de San Antonio de Padua on gcatholic.org
  2. ↑ Kevin Moreno: Templo Parroquial San Antonio de Padua, Táchira. March 30, 2015, Retrieved September 5, 2019 (Spanish).
  3. ↑ Papa Francisco nombró como Basilica Menor la iglesia de San Antonio de Táchira. May 24, 2017, Retrieved September 5, 2019 (Spanish).
  4. ↑ Elizabeth Reyes León: Asi fue la visita del Nuncio Apostólico Aldo Giordano a la frontera tachirense. In: frontera7días. June 6, 2017, Retrieved September 5, 2019 (Spanish).

Coordinates: 7 ° 48 ′ 46.9 "  N , 72 ° 26 ′ 47.3"  W.