Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Managua
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción de María), referred to as the New Cathedral (La Nueva Catedral), is located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
| Managua Cathedral | |
|---|---|
| The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Mary Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción de María | |
 The main façade of the cathedral on Palm Sunday in 2017. | |
  Managua Cathedral Location in Nicaragua | |
| 12.132687°N 86.265853°W | |
| Location | Managua |
| Country | Nicaragua |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Website | Managua Cathedral Website |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder(s) | Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo S.D.B. |
| Dedication | Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Consecrated | September 4, 1993 |
| Past bishop(s) | Miguel Obando y Bravo S.D.B. (1993-2005) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Ricardo Legorreta |
| Architectural type | Cathedral |
| Style | Eclectic, Romanesque and Arabic |
| Completed | August, 1993 (present Cathedral) |
| Construction cost | USD 4.5 Million |
| Specifications | |
| Number of domes | 63 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Managua |
| Province | Ecclesiastical Province of Nicaragua |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Leopoldo José Cardinal Brenes |
| Rector | Pbro. Luis Alberto Herrera |
| Vicar(s) | Pbro. Silvio Josué Romero
Pbro. Mario Guevara Pbro. Rodolfo López |
History
The cathedral was built in 1991 to serve as a replacement for the Old Cathedral of Managua or St. James' Cathedral (Catedral de Santiago). The old cathedral was damaged and thought to be unrestoreable after a 1972 earthquake that destroyed 90% of the city.[1]
The new cathedral was designed by the Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta. Construction began around August 1991, and the cathedral was inaugurated on September 4, 1993. The cost of the newly built cathedral was estimated at $4.5 million.[2] The new cathedral has generated much controversy, particularly about its architectural style and finance.[3] The costs were covered partially thanks to the help of American Tom Monaghan, owner of Domino's Pizza.[4] Locals refer to it as La Chichona on account of the plethora of cupolas adorning it which resemble many chichas (Spanish: slang for "breasts").
A fire started by a Molotov cocktail damaged an image of Sangre de Cristo y el Santísimo in the cathedral on July 31, 2020. Neither of the two people in the cathedral at the time were injured.[5]
See also
References
- "Deadly history of earthquakes: 23 December 1972". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
- "Catedral Managua: Historia" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
- "Nicaragua Briefs: Obando's New Cathedral Off to a Strange Start". Envío. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
- "DOMINO'S FOUNDATION Membership, Structure, Finances As a private foundation, Domino's Foun". Skepticfiles.org. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
- "Arrojan bomba molotov a Catedral de Managua; dañan imagen venerada". Excélsior (in Spanish). 31 July 2020. Retrieved August 1, 2020.