Iglesia San Francisco el Grande in Antigua, Guatemala, is one of the oldest and most significant churches in the country, with its history dating back to the mid-16th century. The Franciscans were one of the first orders to arrive in Guatemala in 1530 and to be assigned income from 120 Maya Villages in the Ponchoy Valley. They first erected a small chapel a couple blocks away at the site of Escuela de Cristo, which was damaged in the earthquake of 1565.

The Franciscans thus spent more than a decade raising funds for the development of a much more significant, and grand complex. Construction of this complex commenced in 1579 and would continue throughout the 17th century, when in 1702 Iglesia San Francisco was inaugurated, (consecrated 1714). The grounds covered 4 complete city blocks.

During this period, the Franciscan School of Buenaventura, located within today’s ruined monastery, soon became an important religious and cultural center, playing a key role in the academic and spiritual life of the region. There, students would learn theology, canonical law, philosophy, experimental physics, and mathematics. There was also a three-story infirmary, chapel, library, and rooms dedicated to art and music.

Throughout its history, Iglesia San Francisco el Grande faced multiple natural disasters, most notably several devastating earthquakes, leading to extensive reconstruction efforts. Ultimately, it was the 1773 quake that lay the school, monastery, and church in almost complete ruin for almost two centuries. It wasn’t until 1960 that, under the direction of Jose Garcia Bauer, engineer Oscar Martinez Dighero, and many others, the church, the structure you see today, would be rebuilt, the facade dating back to 1674.

Today, Iglesia San Francisco el Grande is a renowned pilgrimage site, particularly because it houses the tomb of Santo Hermano Pedro, Guatemala’s first saint, canonized in 2002. Hermano Pedro, a Franciscan lay brother, is revered for his charitable work and devotion to helping the poor and sick. The church draws visitors from all over the world, who come to pay their respects to the saint and to admire its historic beauty. It’s also the beginning of the Stations of the Cross, which ends at Iglesia El Calvario.

(Iglesia San Francisco el Grande is free to visit and a small fee grants access to the monastery ruins and Museum of Hermano Pedro inside the complex. The church has regularly scheduled services at 6:30am, 12pm, and 5pm Monday to Saturday and additional services on Sundays, 6:30am, 8am, 10am, 12pm, and 4:30pm.)

References:

“Antigua Guatemala” by Elizabeth Bell, pages 55-62

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Francisco,_Antigua_Guatemala