Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, San Miguel « El Salvador Travel – Sitio Oficial de Turismo de El Salvador:: Official Tourism Web Site of El Salvador

Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, San Miguel

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At the warm province of San Miguel you will find great architectural and historical wealth. The cathedral is the most representative temple of this city popularly known as “ The Pearl of the Orient”.

Its official name is Cathedral Basilica and Shrine “Our Lady of Peace”, a place where thousands of faithful Catholics pay homage to one of patrons of the Republic of El Salvador, declared by Pope Paul VI on October 10th, 1966.

Review of its construction

Currently located at the same site where the original San Miguel Archangel temple stood just across “San Miguel de la Frontera”, now known as Guzmán Park.

According to church documents, the colonial chapel was built in mid-sixteenth century, shortly after the founding of the city by Don Luis de Moscoso, on May, 1530.

After the appearance of the image of Our Lady of Peace in 1682 and since the sanctuary was damaged, church authorities decided to build a larger temple in order to serve as a place of veneration to the Virgin.

History indicates that on November 21st, 1862, General Gerardo Barrios, president of El Salvador, laid the foundation stone of this temple. It is said that he had the idea to move the nation’s capital to the city of San Miguel.

Adela Guzman de Barrios, the nation’s first lady, was responsible for finding an architect that would design the building. William Kirk English engineer was elected for the job. However, after the death of Barrios, the foreman had to leave the country for political reasons. He only built the crypt and some foundations.

The main material for the construction was a popularly used volcanic stone called “malpais or curruncha”, mixed with sand and cement. They say that the faithful used to load them into their backs or pockets and walk with them from the slopes of Volcán Chaparrastique, organizing the famous processions known as “Walks of Malpais and Sand”, which later became “The Processions of the Queen of Peace” that take place nowadays.

With the passage of time the unfinished works, of the emblematic temple where raised to cathedral by a Papal decree from Pius X, on February 11th, 1913.

On November 21, 1921, Bishop Argumedo Dueñas on behalf of Pope Benedict XV proclaimed the temple in honor of Our Lady of Peace and coroneted the image with the popes blessing.

In 1926 a metallurgical company from Belgium was a hired in order to the manufacture the metal structure of the roof and the ceiling. Later, Alberto Gheraldo, a Filipino engineer, began construction of bell towers and the placement of the tile imported from Brussels.

Years later a contract was signed with a German stained-glass company, which created the windows located on the eastern side of the nave and the side chapels. The windows for the main facade, west and south sides of the nave were manufactured in Mexico, each one representing colorful Biblical episodes.

The main altar is made of Italian marble and holds the image of the Virgin Queen of Peace.

The work was completed officially in 1962. It opened on November 21 as part of the festivities for “The Queen of Peace.”

This magnificent temple has a capacity of 2 000 people and is considered the second largest Catholic Church in El Salvador.

The Origins of Our Lady of Peace

The story tells that some merchants found a sealed wooden box on the shores at the Gulf of Fonseca, Department of La Unión, between on November 1682.

Not knowing what was in its interior, they put the heavy box on the back of a donkey and walked to the Village of San Miguel, which was founded one hundred years before the event.

They took the wooden box and the animal mysteriously stopped at Central Square in front of the old church.

The villagers proceeded to open the box and found that it had an impressive image of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus on her arms, nobody knew the name of the image.

At that there were many revolts involving natives, mulattos, mestizos and ladinos. With the arrival of this image, miraculously the violence disappeared. This is the main reason why the image is called “Our Lady of Peace.”

Other events that occurred and that increased devotion to the Virgin “Queen of Peace” are:

- On September 21st, 1787, Chaparrastique Volcano erupted. The river of lava threatened to reach the city of San Miguel.

Locals decided to remove the image of the Virgin I and place it at the main entrance of the church. People started praying for protection. It is said that the lava changed its course.

After this miracle a palm-shaped cloud formed in the sky over the crater of the volcano. This detail represented the miracle to locals who later placed a palm on the right hand of the “Virgen de la Paz”.

- On June 2nd, 1903, lightning struck the dome of San Francisco parish church, where the image was kept.

The story says that the sparks generated a large fire that burned the dressing room and dress of the Virgin. The image, despite having been blackened by the smoke, did not suffer major damage and remained intact, this event further strengthened the Catholic veneration towards the virgin.

How to get there

Address: 4th North Avenue and 4th East Street, across from Guzmán Central Park, San Miguel.

If driving from San Salvador to San Miguel use the Pan American Highway (CA-1) or the coastal highway going east.

Bus routes:

• San Salvador to San Miguel: Route 301 from the East Terminal.

Regular US$ 2.50

Special US$ 3.00

Super special US$ 5.00

To get to the East Terminal take Route 42-A, 34, 140, 29 for US$ 0.25

• La Union to San Miguel: Route 324