On my tours around the city I discover many interesting things. Not only beautiful natural spaces or excellent art exhibitions, but also historical places, buildings, streets and even churches or parishes.
On this occasion, walking through a neighbourhood very close to San Andrés beach, called El Bulto, I came across a parish church which, at first glance, on its exterior façade, seemed very modern, but its name was what made me most curious and I decided to enter. This parish is called Santo Ángel de la Guarda (Saint Angel of the Guardian). It reminded me of a prayer I was taught in school that reminds me that there is always someone who takes care of us, and this goes beyond the religious point of view.
Its exterior façade, as I mentioned, is modern, sober, simple and has not much in particular, but I never imagined what I would find when I entered. Treasures sometimes surprise us, as in this case.
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According to the signs there, the mass started at 6.30 pm and there were only 10 minutes to go, so I didn't think I would be lucky to be able to walk around it as I like, alone and take pictures. I was wrong. When I entered the church it was dark, something that had never happened to me before.
It didn't look like mass was about to start, there were only three women in the church. I started to walk around the place and it was really dark, so although I could see the place I didn't think it was possible to take pictures. There were only dim lights on the altar.
When I had been admiring the church for a while, I decided to take some photographs, but not to bring them here but just for myself. It is at that moment that the priest of the church sees me and from a distance asks me if I want him to turn on the lights for me. I was surprised looking at him and said yes. He asked me if I wanted the lights on the sculptures or on the altar and I said both, if possible, and thanked him without being able to get over my astonishment. He turned on the lights just for me.
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And although the church is modern and does not date back many centuries, it became special from that moment when I saw the glowing walls, between the stained glass windows on one side and the sculptures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. A well-lit church, where the interior is also simple until I learned its history.
It underwent a major renovation to be reopened in 2005 and was closed for a year to carry out the work. But the parish church dates back to 1971 and before that, although worship was celebrated in a very precarious way, it was a place, a small room in the middle of a very poor neighbourhood of the city. It was only in 1971 that the parish priest of the church, with a lot of help from the neighbours and the bishop, was able to give rise to what you see today, albeit with renovations.
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When I first visited the church I told myself that the most special thing about this place was the altar and I was not wrong. I took a lot of pictures of the altar, but especially of the artistic decoration behind it. It is a triptych and the artist's name is Eugenio Chicano.
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What he wanted to symbolise is the use that is made of what is thought to be useless, what is discarded, as the materials used to create this art were taken from the rubbish, especially leftover cans and other discarded materials. If you wish you can read more information here, there is little I could find on the internet after knowing the story.
The altar is really special for that reason, the whole place is made with a lot of effort from both the parish priest and the neighbours who keep the parish alive and you can see that they really appreciate and love it.
The parish priest's gesture towards me was as surprising as the creation of this artwork and I was absolutely amazed. Every day there are more and more things that surprise me about this city and make me love it more and more.
Thank you very much for joining me today, I send you my best regards. See you soon. Amonet.
