Church of Caguach
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
Church facade | |
| Location | Caguach, Quinchao, Chiloé Province, Los Lagos Region, Chile |
| Part of | Churches of Chiloé |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
| Reference | 971-016 |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
| Coordinates | 42°30′37″S 73°15′58″W / 42.5103°S 73.2660°W |
Location of Church of Caguach in Chiloé Church of Caguach (Los Lagos) Church of Caguach (Chile) | |
The Iglesia de Caguach (English: Church of Caguach), also known as Iglesia Jesús Nazareno de Caguach (English: Jesus of Nazareth, Church of Caguach) is a Catholic church located on the island of Caguach, in the commune of Quinchao on the Chiloé Archipelago, Chile. The church itself is part of a bigger group of churches named the Churches of Chiloé.
Originally built in 1778, the church was burnt down in 1919. It was rebuilt in 1925 by communities from five villages that had signed an agreement. The church's patron is Jesus of Nazareth and celebrates the feast day on August 30 and on every third Sunday of January. The holiday is considered as the Chiloé Archipelago's most important holiday, with accompanying celebrations involving dancing and processions. The church was designated as a National Monument of Chile in 2000 and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Churches of Chiloé in the same year.
Description
The original church was built in 1778.[1] In 1919, the original Church of Caguach was completely destroyed by a fire though its image was recovered. The church was rebuilt in 1925 by communities from five villages that had signed an agreement. This would be the third church built in Caguach, Quinchao.[2]
The church's patron is Jesus of Nazareth, also the patron of the Church of Aldachildo, whose feast day is celebrated on August 30 and on every third Sunday of January. Its holiday was originally established in 1778 and encouraged by Spanish Franciscan missionary Fray Hilario Martínez, where it is considered as the Chiloé Archipelago's most important holiday. The feast day is accompanied by a celebration that mostly takes place at the church, which involve music, dancing and processions.[3][2] Boats that travel to the island for the church's celebration are inspected by the Castro Port Authority of the Chilean Navy.[3]
The church was designated as a National Monument of Chile in 2000.[1] As part of the sixteen Churches of Chiloé, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 30 November 2000.[4]
References
- ^ a b "Iglesia Jesús Nazareno de Caguach" [Jesus of Nazareth, Church of Caguach]. Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 March 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Iglesias tradicionales de Chiloé" [Traditional churches of Chiloé]. Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Fieles de la Isla Grande de Chiloé celebrarán la Fiesta del Cristo Nazareno de Caguach" [Faithful of the Great Island of Chiloé will celebrate the Feast of the Nazarene Christ of Caguach]. BioBioChile (in Spanish). 18 August 2010. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
- ^ "World Heritage Committee Inscribes 61 New Sites on World Heritage List". UNESCO. 30 November 2000. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.