San Fernando Cathedral
| San Fernando Cathedral | |
|---|---|
San Fernando Cathedral is one of the oldest active cathedrals in the United States.
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| Basic information | |
| Location | San Antonio, Texas, USA |
| Geographic coordinates | 29°25′27″N 98°29′39″W / 29.42417°N 98.49417°WCoordinates: 29°25′27″N 98°29′39″W / 29.42417°N 98.49417°W |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Province | Archdiocese of San Antonio |
| Country | United States of America |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Francois P. Giraud; Dielman,Leo |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Gothic Revival, Other |
| Groundbreaking | 1738 |
| Completed | 1868? |
| Official name: Church of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe | |
| Designated | February 25, 1975 |
| Reference no. | 75001949 |
| Governing Body | Private |
San Fernando Cathedral (also called the Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria and Guadalupe) is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located in downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA, facing the city's Main Plaza. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the seat of its archbishop. Its dome serves as the city of San Antonio's cultural and geographical center. 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 one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States.
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 State of Texas. The church was named for Ferdinand III of Castile, 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 settlers 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.
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