In spite of hurricanes, economic crises, births, deaths, and other milestones in life, some things in Puerto Rico never seem to change. Sadly, one of them is Iglesia de San José in Old San Juan. When I left the island in 2013, the church was wrapped in scaffolding, and when I returned this past March, the scaffolding was still there.
Iglesia de San José, March, 2019
At the turn of this century, the archbishop of San Juan closed San José Church due to extensive deterioration and structural damage that made him fear for the safety of the parishioners. Shortly after the closure, renovation efforts began. In 2004, the church was placed on a World Monuments Watch, which helped it receive conservation funding. For some reason, the efforts didn’t seem to take because in 2013 San José made the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Even the strongest winds of Hurricane Maria proved no match for the thick massive walls, but the resultant months of unrelieved heat and humidity most likely took their toll.
Does it matter if San José doesn’t survive? Well, yes. Begun in 1532, the original church, named Saint Thomas Aquinas of the Dominican order of San Juan, is the second oldest in the Americas (the oldest is in Santo Domingo). It was built on land donated by the explorer Juan Ponce de León, whose remains were buried in the crypt under the church until moved to the nearby Cathedral in the mid-1800s. Though relatively small and simple in scope, it represents one of few examples of Gothic-influenced religious architecture in the New World and includes Gothic vaulted ceilings. Over the centuries, the church was renamed, altered and redesigned, first by the Jesuits, who came up with the current name and redecorated in neoclassical style, then the Vicentian order. Several chapels were added, and paintings and statues decorated the interior. With its simple beauty, its history, its architectural pedigree, and its centuries of religious communion, San José deserves to remain with us.
Wikipedia Commons
I had my own communion with the church. From time to time I would step into the narthex. Looking down the aisle at the dark-wood pews, the white walls, arched ceiling vaults, statues and alcoves gave me a sense of spiritual tranquility. Perhaps my highlight visit was sitting in one of the pews listening to Handel’s Messiah performed by local choruses and musicians. A celebration of the senses.
At present, visitors to San Juan can view the outer walls of San José and read up on the restoration work, explained on posters tacked against the walls. Sporadically, the public is permitted to enter the church and visit the crypts, final resting place for some 5,000 souls, including the celebrated 18th century painter of religious works, José Campeche.
I hope the preservation efforts prove successful and the next time I visit Old San Juan I will find San José Church open and free of scaffolding.
Adoquines in front of the church