Wearing the peak of its imposing structure, the Holy Basilica Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Santiago de Cuba will host the September 22 His Holiness Pope Francisco, amid an environment marked along the 500 years of the former Santiago Villa for an extraordinary story to this city and the entire nation.
Note that the Pope will be in the exact spot where in 1522 was born the first cathedral in Cuba, which after its destruction gave space to another building, then a third, until in 1922 this fourth version, after having beaten fires, hurricanes and earthquakes with the same inherent toughness to the children of this land.
Was the illustrious "city architect" Segrera Carlos Fernandez (Santiago de Cuba from 1880 to 1922), who manages to transform the dilapidated building then, with the eclectic image that hierarchically arisen between the majestic buildings by renovating process of the downtown Parque Céspedes, the first quarter of the XX century.
Among the changes, outside "the completion of the viewpoints conformed colorful domes topped by cupulinos with skylights, which together with the dome of the nave and the sculpture of the archangel Gabriel, foster the visibility of the cathedral building from anywhere in the old town center ...
"The interior design of the cathedral is also due to his work, placing and decorate the ceilings with paintings and ornaments, where a strong molding work, both with the technique of plaster, as in papier mache is appreciated ...

"The Cathedral (..., saw its modest colonial appearance replaced by a more elaborate and refined." That summarizes the changes in his book Carlos Segrera. Architect, founder of the architectural and urban development of Santiago de Cuba in the twentieth century, the architects Marta Alvarez Lora (1953 Guantánamo-Santiago de Cuba 2005) and Carmen Lemos Frómeta (Santiago de Cuba, 1973).
From then until today, later damages caused by new natural phenomena, accidental losses and planned renovations demanded various actions, but none had the depth of the initiated to mark the 500th anniversary of the town, and whose completion coincides with a visit by the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church.

SPLENDOROF  RECOVERY
"Only one capital cathedral reconstruction, could face the situation presented constructively with the passage of time in some sessions, and the collapse caused by Hurricane Sandy in places like towers and cupulinos" says the engineer Fausto Garcia Veloz, responsible for investment and construction of the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba.
Because of its high complexity intervention began two and a half years ago by the largest dome, whose 40 ribs hardwood, drums, cupulino, lining and collapsed cross, represented a challenge without precedent, hence despite the 25 meters high They decided to assume its original construction and artisan using scaffolding, flasks, buckets and ropes.
"We have the valuable advice of Italian specialists, Havana and the University of East -refiere Fausto Veloz, was decisive but the expertise of our carpenters, mechanics and masons, his skill in shaping the elements of wood and metal, as well as the domain of art materials.
"We have dome for another century. Externally to the copper lining is completed, and inside our restaurants have returned the splendor to its beautiful scenery that is the golden cup of the Cathedral, next to the beautiful woodwork of canon choir reserved for the train, behind the altar Carrara marble occupy the Pope. "
The intense work also included all masonry, replacing hidrosanitario and electrical systems, the use of more than 120 cubic meters of wood, installing a modern fire protection system including lightning rods and paint according to the Ring foundational former village.

Likewise they were restored saints and their costumes, decorated walls, paintings, pictures and blankets. It has new carpeting, modern audio equipment, decorative lights and a bell system controlled by a computer, which two towers watches accordance with bells mark the exact time will mate.
"The religious authorities have been aware of the work -enfatiza Garcia Veloz, and in them the joy of Queen display this constructive state of excellence not only when the Holy Father will meet in the living room with a thousand people, but also when directed from the balcony to the representation of the people of Santiago present in the Céspedes Park. "

A relevant story
Along with those values that make it essential part of the architectural decursar city, the Cathedral treasures for centuries facts in their own right the inserted into an area whose political, religious and social significance deparan him an important place in the history of the nation .
"This is an extraordinary temple -destaca architect Omar Lopez Rodriguez, director of the Office of the Curator of the city, which also owns the securities Church Cathedral Metropolitan Basilica, which as you can imagine in the beginning welcomed the Cuba Main Church authorities.
Preserving what is relevant, but the building is more recent is the work of the Holy Ecce Homo, a miraculous painting of the seventeenth century is considered the oldest in Cuba, it is preserved and here are buried the remains of Diego Velázquez and several bishops and archbishops of the country.
Similarly, it is said that here was born Cuban music, because although he died when the building was under construction, is in this space where the Cuban musician Esteban Salas, priest and choirmaster at the Santiago Cathedral, composed masses, cantatas and carols recognized as the first compositions of our music.
"All this is seen -destaca Omar Lopez, in the work of the multidisciplinary team that has led the engineer Fausto Veloz, and the complexity of certain actions has had with foreign assistance, the participation of the Office of the Curator and a group of artists from Santiago.
"In turn, he adds, do not forget that in this environment is the Casa de Diego Velázquez, also considered the oldest in Cuba, it was in this square where at a difficult time of the end of Spanish rule, where 1898 Spain flag is lowered and hoisted the United States.
"But claiming that fact, it is also here that 1st. January 1959 the Commander in Chief Fidel Castro proclaimed the triumph of the revolution and for the first free and sovereign waving the Cuban flag, from the very City Council that 25 years later, the 1st. January 1984, gives the honorary title of Hero of the Republic of Cuba and the Order Antonio Maceo, to the city of Santiago de Cuba ".
Therefore, speaking from the central balcony of the Cathedral of Santiago a performance people present in this square, blessed by many momentous events of the Homeland, Pope Francisco is adding another page to the glorious history of Santiago de Cuba.