Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús

Could a church rise from a land of reeds and marshes? Here, before the grand Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, it seems impossible. Yet, this basilica’s story begins in the late 19th century, on land owned by the Pereyra Iraola family. Leonardo Pereyra Iraola envisioned a chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He died before realizing his dream, but his widow, Antonia Iraola, and their six children brought his vision to life. The area surrounding the Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús was a stark contrast to the grandeur they envisioned. Alfalfa fields and cina-cina, a small thorny tree with yellow and red flowers, dotted the landscape. Marshes and swamps dominated, earning the area the nickname “neighborhood of the frogs.” To the east, a small urban nucleus called “Los Olivos” huddled behind the old Barracas station. The cornerstone of the Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús was blessed on June 10, 1904. Construction began immediately, encompassing not only the church but also a residence, two large patios with classical cloisters, a school, and other outbuildings. The basilica itself began construction in 1905. Bishop Gregorio I. Romero consecrated the Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús on August 16, 1908. The school, entrusted to the priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Betharan, opened the same year. Pope Pius X linked the church to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and in 1939, Pope Pius XII declared it a Minor Basilica. As the complex grew, the surrounding area slowly began to populate. Between 1964 and 1968, the Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús underwent major repairs and renovations. Engineers José Luis Delpini and Arturo Bignoli led the work, adapting the interior to the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council. The church reopened in June 1968. In 1976, the remains of Leonardo and Antonia Pereyra Iraola, their children, and other family members were moved to the crypt beneath the main altar. The Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, the parish house, and the school are all constructed of brick and structural iron. Surrounding gardens occupy almost 4,000 square meters. Remarkably, the Capilla del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús is larger than the Buenos Aires Cathedral. In 2008, it was declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument. The building also housed the apostolic school for aspiring priests and, until 2010, the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Catholic University of Argentina. This basilica holds a unique distinction: it’s one of the only churches in Buenos Aires with two organs. One, installed in 1907, is a choir organ located near the main altar. The other, a grand instrument, remains unfinished. Its third manual was never installed, a mystery shrouded in various tales. Some whisper of a shipwreck carrying the missing components. Others blame the architect’s displeasure at the organ blocking a beautiful rose window. Regardless, the existing organ remains a magnificent instrument, a testament to the Pereyra Iraola family’s vision. Their legacy stands tall before you, a testament to faith, family, and a dream realized in a most unexpected place.