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The San Fernando Cathedral (Catedral de San Fernando) is a Catholic church in San Antonio, Texas. It sits on the city’s Main Plaza.
History
The San Fernando Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria and Guadalupe (Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe), is the seat of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. It was founded on March 9, 1731, by 15 families of settlers from the Canary Islands. It’s the oldest continuously functioning religious community in Texas.
The original Church of San Fernando was built between 1738 and 1750 and named for Fernando III of Castile. The baptismal font is thought to be a gift of Carlos III of Spain and is the oldest piece in the cathedral.
The church was enlarged in 1868 under architect Francois P. Giraud (1818-1877), incorporating the walls of the original church to form the sanctuary. The Stations of the Cross were added in 1874 and stained glass windows were installed in 1920. Pope John Paul II visited on September 13, 1987, and a major renovation took place in 2003.
Interments
There are several interments at the cathedral, including former bishops and prominent citizens. Their resting places are clearly marked, some in both English and Spanish.
The most famous burials are the remains of the heroes who died defending the Alamo on March 6, 1836. They include Davy Crockett (1786-1836), William Travis (1809-1836), and Jim Bowie (1796-1836).
The heroes were originally buried in the sanctuary of the old San Fernando Church. They were exhumed on July 28, 1836, and put on public display for a year, then reinterred on May 11, 1938. On an interesting note, Bowie married Ursula de Veramendi at San Fernando in 1831.
