Capilla La Sagrada Familia

Slipping through time, imagine 1874. Petrona Coronell de Lamarca establishes the Sociedad de San José. Her goal is noble: to help Buenos Aires’ most vulnerable. This organization, pivotal to our story of Capilla La Sagrada Familia, sets in motion a chain of events that leads us to this very spot. Years later, around 1922, Elisa Alvear de Bosch, then president of the Sociedad, commissions renowned French architect René Sergent to design a new home for the Sociedad. This home, the Hogar Luis María Saavedra, becomes the cradle of Capilla La Sagrada Familia. Construction, overseen by architects Eduardo María Lanús and Pablo Hary, begins in 1927. The Hogar’s design, a neoclassical marvel echoing 18th-century French architecture, centers around a tranquil courtyard. At its heart stands a statue of the Sacred Heart. Now, shift your focus to the right wing of the Hogar. Here, funded by María Jáuregui de Pradere, rises Capilla La Sagrada Familia. The cornerstone is laid in 1927, the same year construction begins on the Hogar itself. In 1928, an agreement with the Archdiocese transforms the chapel into a parish. Capilla La Sagrada Familia officially opens its doors on January 1, 1929. Step inside and be greeted by the neo-Romanesque grandeur. Admire the terracotta artistry of French sculptor Jules-Édouard Visseaux. His centerpiece: a breathtaking depiction of the Holy Family in the manger, illuminated by divine light streaming through stained-glass windows. Visseaux’s touch graces the entire chapel. Statues of Saint Joseph, Saint Roch, Saint Anthony of Padua, and Saint Thérèse adorn the main nave. The Sacred Heart and Immaculate Conception stand sentinel at the presbytery. A wooden pulpit, crafted in Buenos Aires from a Parisian design, stands proudly in the nave. Its carved roof depicts the Holy Spirit. Note the various altars within the chapel: the altar of Perpetual Help, the Sacred Heart altar, and the altar of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Each tells a story of devotion and generosity. Look for the original marble baptismal font, intricately carved with the parish’s initials. A striking wooden Stations of the Cross, with its vivid relief figures, adds to the chapel’s spiritual richness. The upper galleries, once part of the chapel, now serve the adjacent Santa María de Nazareth school. Initially, the main entrance to Capilla La Sagrada Familia lay within the Hogar. However, in 1937, a new entrance facing Avenida del Tejar (now Balbín) was opened. This change, blessed by then-Nuncio Mons. Fietta, altered the way parishioners experienced the space. Look closely at the current entrance area. You’ll find images of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás, Our Lady of Luján, and Saint Cajetan. These additions enrich the story of Capilla La Sagrada Familia, a place born from compassion and nurtured by faith, a testament to the enduring power of community and devotion in the heart of Buenos Aires.