Ever wonder about the silent lives lived within these historic walls? This is the story of the Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas. It is a notable convent and church right here in Antigua Guatemala. It stands as one of the finest examples of an 18th-century convent in Guatemala.
The Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas history began when King Felipe V approved its construction in 1725. This happened when the Order of Capuchins arrived in Santiago de los Caballeros. Construction started in 1731. By 1736, under Diego de Porres supervision, the Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas was blessed. It was the last convent built in the city. Uniquely, it stopped asking for donations from new nuns. This allowed poorer women to embrace religious life.
Life inside the Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas was governed by strict rules. Nuns followed maximum discipline regarding poverty, penance, and fasting. Some nuns, known as mendicant nuns, survived on tithes alone. All nuns faced a strict ban on speaking. Contact with their families was greatly restricted.
Prince Wilhelm of Sweden visited Antigua Guatemala in 1920. He noted the old Capuchin monastery’s underground passages. These passages connected monks’ cells to those of the nuns. One area stood out. Cells were built in a circle around a central common chamber.
The Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas faced the same fate as much of Antigua. Earthquakes in 1751 and 1773 caused significant damage. The Captain General ordered its abandonment. The nuns’ secluded lives are emphasized by the church’s stone facade and walled-up door. They truly lived walled in, alive. When nuns died, they were buried in the monastery’s underground vaults. This fuels legends of ghosts and phantoms. Locals once used these cellars for magic. Evidence of this remains in the blackened walls from candles and fires.
One unique feature remains. That is the Torre de Retiro or Tower of Retreat. Diego Porres completed it in 1736. This circular patio is surrounded by 18 small cells. Each cell had its own toilet with a water channel underneath. A narrow staircase leads to a vaulted cellar, also circular.
The purpose of the tower has been debated for years. Some thought it was for spiritual retreats. Others believed it was an asylum for elderly nuns with dementia. Still others claimed it was a torture chamber. The lack of doors adds to the mystery. So do the showers on the outside of the building. The purpose of these features remains unclear.
Today, visiting the Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas offers a glimpse into a unique past. Imagine the silent prayers, the rigorous routines, and the enclosed lives. The Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas stands as a testament to faith and resilience. It whispers stories of nuns who lived and died within these walls, forever a part of Antigua’s rich history.