Nuestra Señora de los Dolores

Did the spirit of San Cayetano Errico foresee the challenges his missionaries would face in Buenos Aires?  In 1912, a lone priest arrived from Naples, harboring a dream: to establish a Sacricordian presence in Argentina. This marked the beginning of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. His mission, however, proved challenging from the start. The Archdiocese, wary of the city’s anti-clerical sentiment, granted him limited permissions, urging him to downplay his true intentions. Undeterred, he persevered, eventually gaining a foothold in Berazategui. Reinforcements arrived the following year, and in 1913, the Sacricordians found themselves teaching catechism at the Benito Nazar School. The school’s chapel became a sanctuary, where they began to celebrate the feast of the Virgen Dolorosa. It was here that María Luisa Cullen de Llobet, a member of the Conservación de la Fe, witnessed their devotion. She generously offered land from her family’s “quinta” – a plot on Gaona Street, now Avenida Díaz Vélez, facing Parque Centenario – for a dedicated church. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores would finally have a home. The land, however, had a temporary tenant. From 1914 to 1926, it served as the playing field for Estudiantil Porteño, a prominent football club. The dream of a church was delayed, but not forgotten. Fundraising began in earnest. The cornerstone for the first, modest temple was laid in 1922, financed by devoted parishioners and a loan from the Banco ÍtaloBelga. It was blessed in 1923, becoming the first incarnation of Parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. The following day, the church officially became a parish, its territory carved from San Carlos Borromeo. Father Juan Terracciano, the initial emissary, became its first pastor. A procession carried the image of the Virgen Dolorosa from its temporary home on Pringles Street to the new chapel. The church stood in a then-desolate area, Parque Centenario an overgrown wilderness. The Sacricordians, however, embraced their mission, tending to the spiritual needs of the scattered, mostly poor Catholic families. Over time, the congregation grew, necessitating a larger church. Despite the global crisis of 1929 and ongoing financial struggles, the faithful, supported by prominent porteños, contributed generously. In 1932, the cornerstone of the current Nuestra Señora de los Dolores was laid. Architects José Castiglioni and Ambrosio Colombo, known for their work on iconic buildings like the Casa Redonda, brought the vision to life. The new temple opened in 1942, a testament to the enduring faith and perseverance of the Sacricordians and their community. In 2012, it was designated a sanctuary, cementing its place as a beacon of hope and devotion in the heart of Buenos Aires.