About the Church of Santa Lucia in Juayúa, El Salvador:
The Church of Santa Lucía (also called Templo del Senor Juayua) in Juayúa, El Salvador, is an iconic landmark located in the heart of this small mountain town about 50 miles (80 km) west of San Salvador. Founded in 1577 as a Pre-Columbian Pipil settlement, Juayúa became a catechizing center for Franciscan priests who, toward the end of the 16th century, established the first hermitage on the site where the church now stands. This initial structure housed an image resembling the Black Christ of Esquipulas, a revered statue carved by Quirio Cataño in the late 16th century. The current church faces the town’s central plaza and is home to this sister statue of the Black Christ, a significant religious and cultural symbol shared with the Basilica of Esquipulas in Guatemala.
Crucifix of Cristo Negro (the black Christ) in the Church of Santa Lucia:
The church is famous for a large colonial-era statue of the Cristo Negro, or Black Christ, which hangs behind the altar. The blackness of the figure is especially interesting in a colonial context, and in a place where the indigenous people were smaller and brown, and where there were very few people of African origin. Many locals refer to the church not by its official name, but as the Cristo Negro church.
The feast of Cristo Negro runs from January 8-15, and spills out from inside the church into the neighboring streets (The feast is one of 13 Cristo Negro feasts in El Salvador, all in the month of January).
The first building here was a small hermitage, which was replaced by a wooden neoclassical structure that was destroyed by fire, and the third and current building was completed in 1957 on the same site. Today’s building is celebrated for its magnificent architecture, often regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in El Salvador.
It serves as a focal point for the town’s religious life, particularly during the annual patron saint festivities honoring the Black Christ, held from January 1 to 15. This feast, one of 13 such celebrations in El Salvador during January, draws pilgrims and visitors who come to give thanks and participate in events that spill out from the church into the surrounding streets.
Weekends are lively around the church, including the famous Feria Gastronomica, where local cuisine and traditions are showcased.
Traveling to the Church of Santa Lucia in Juayúa, El Salvador:
Juayú is a small mountain town about 50 miles (80 km) west of San Salvador. The Church of Santa Lucia (Templo del Senor Juayua) is located in the center of Juayúa, making it a central landmark.
Address: R7V3+43V, RN 12W, Juayua, El Salvador
Phone: +503 2452 2271
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