Imagine being transported back to 1873. That was when Don Esteban Adrogué requested permission to celebrate Mass in this town. Today we stand before the Parroquia San Gabriel Arcángel.
Mass was initially held in the hall beneath the Escuela de Varones N° 1. A priest from Buenos Aires would come every Sunday. This arrangement met the needs of the growing community.
Esteban Adrogué commissioned José Canale to design a proper church. On December 22, 1873, the altar was installed. A curtain concealed it during school days. A bell summoned parishioners. Construction began in March 1874. To facilitate daily Mass, a priest’s house and a temporary chapel were built. This chapel was dedicated to San Gabriel in January of the following year. Monsignor Aneiros attended the opening. José María Cruces became the first priest.
In 1875, the temporary chapel and priest’s house opened at Plaza Brown 165. José María Cruces was appointed the first parish priest of San Gabriel Arcángel. The church became a parish on April 28, 1875. On September 23, the municipality contracted Antonio Trabucco to finish the temple. José Luis Canale oversaw the work. Payments were made in installments due to financial constraints.
Antonio Trabucco reduced the debt. Don Esteban Adrogué obtained bank financing. The municipality covered amortization and interest. Funds for the church and school were raised together. Services were held at an altar in the Escuela de Varones’ main hall. Raffles, bazaars, and concerts helped construction. Donors were recognized in major newspapers.
The first grand concert took place inside the unfinished temple on April 1, 1877. In October, Don Esteban Adrogué paid off the construction debt. Further concerts and donations followed. The church finally opened on January 6, 1878. Judge Ramón Hunt and Montserrat Fuentes de Deagustini were godparents. Medals commemorated the blessing ceremony. Public subscription funded the splendid high altar. The original image of San Gabriel donated by Mrs. Deagustini stood above it. Years later, the church was expanded. Dr. Mariano Demaría donated his national deputy salary for a year to help.
In 1909, a fire engulfed the Parroquia San Gabriel Arcángel. The high altar caught fire due to a sacristan’s carelessness. Residents rushed to extinguish the flames. Two precious Christian items were lost. The altar funded by public donations and the original wooden statue of San Gabriel were destroyed.
The image of Saint Gabriel that belonged to priest Gabriel Fuentes was moved to the high altar. His niece had donated it to the original school oratory. Structural issues led to the church’s demolition in 1969. A new, modern church was built. It opened on March 29, 1973.
Today, Parroquia San Gabriel Arcángel stands as a testament to faith and community. It offers daily Mass and various religious services. The parish priest, Mons. Dr. Osvaldo D. Santiguada, leads the congregation. The church remains a spiritual haven for those seeking peace and reflection.