Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Canelones, Roman Catholic cathedral in Canelones, Uruguay.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe stands in central Canelones as the seat of the Diocese of Canelones since 1961. The present building was completed in 1843 and later enlarged; inside is a mechanical organ from 1900, restored in 1989. It is dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the original name of the city, Villa Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.
The original temple was founded in 1775, which prompted people to settle in the surrounding area and establish the town of Canelones. The current building was completed in 1843, representing a major reconstruction that replaced the earlier structure.
The city was originally named Villa Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, and the church keeps that dedication to the Virgin of Guadalupe. In 2020 Uruguay's bishops declared it the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the request of Bishop Alberto Sanguinetti, with the decree signed on 18 June at the close of the Plenary Assembly.
The cathedral stands in the centre of Canelones, on the corner of José Enrique Rodó and José Batlle y Ordóñez streets, a short walk from the Plaza principal. It is an active parish, so visits are best timed outside mass hours; the 1900 mechanical organ, restored in 1989, is worth asking about at the sacristy.
The flag blessed here in 1828 by Juan Francisco Larrobla was the first national banner, adopted by the province's assembly that same year. The church was then the parish temple of Villa Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, the town's original name, which the diocese later shortened to Canelones.
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