Look up at the Metropolitan Cathedral. It stands before us as the main Catholic church in Argentina. Pope Francis served as Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio here. He served from 1998 to 2013.
The Metropolitan Cathedral’s history is long. It is also turbulent. The first chapel was built here in 1593. Juan de Garay ordered its construction. He was the city’s founder. The building has been redesigned seven times. The construction we see today started in 1752. It was not finished until the mid-nineteenth century.
Notice the facade. It might remind you more of a Greek temple. It may not seem like a Catholic church. The twelve Neo-Classical columns represent Christ’s twelve apostles. They support a triangular frontispiece. This frontispiece shows Jacob meeting his son Joseph in Egypt. It was meant to symbolize the unity of Argentina. This was after civil unrest.
Behind the columns, the Cathedral’s front wall has religious symbols. A votive candle burns eternally. It recalls the liberator General Jose de San Martín. It also honors the Unknown Soldier. They both fought during the Wars of Independence.
Step inside the Metropolitan Cathedral. Admire the impressive interior. It has five naves and a transept. A 41-meter high vault surmounts it. The styles are neo-Romanesque and neo-Baroque. Venetian mosaics cover the floors. They show religious symbols. One is the passion flower. Locals call it “mburucuyá” in Guaraní. It symbolizes the Passion of Christ.
Walk from the nave to the right. You will find the mausoleum of San Martín and the Unknown Soldier. It is near the third chapel. French sculptor Louis-Robert Carrier-Belleuse created this marble pantheon. Three female figures surround the sarcophagus. They represent Argentina, Chile, and Peru. These were the countries liberated by General San Martín. Grenadiers stand guard at the tomb’s entrance. They pay homage to their institution’s founder.
Continue along the right lateral nave. You will reach the altar of Saint Martin of Tours. He is the patron saint of Buenos Aires. You will also see the image of the Virgin of Buen Ayre. The port and city were named after her. The virgin holds a caravel in her right hand. This was a light sailing ship used in the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries.
The main gilt wood altarpiece depicts the Holy Trinity. It dates from 1785. It is one of the few remaining elements from colonial times. Its style is Rococo. The Christ of Buenos Aires is another notable colonial sculpture. Portuguese sculptor Manuel do Coyto carved it in 1671. It is the oldest sculpture in the Metropolitan Cathedral. Find it in the altarpiece of the transept’s lateral arm.
The Metropolitan Cathedral has a quirky feature. It hosts the image of the Christ of Footballers. Héctor Scotta and Daniel Bertoni donated it in 1979. They were both Argentine national team players. The image is of the Cristo de Buen Amor. It is also known as the football player’s Christ. You can find him in the left nave next to the crypt.
Before you leave the Metropolitan Cathedral, turn back and look up. You will see the main organ. Walcker built it in Germany in 1871. It has more than 3,500 pipes.
Remember Pope Francis as you exit. The Cathedral now houses the Pope Francis Museum. It exhibits his personal and liturgical objects. The Metropolitan Cathedral stands as a testament to faith. It also stands as a symbol of Argentine history and culture.