On May 15, the liturgical day of Saint Isidore the Farmer, at the Holy Christ of Esquipulas Sanctuary of the Agony, in the province of Alajuela, Costa Rica, the centenary of the arrival of the Redemptorist missionaries to Central America was inaugurated with the presentation of the Memorial of the Redemptorist Missionaries of Central America: One Hundred Years of Abundant Redemption (May 13, 1927 – May 13, 2027).
The presentation was given by Professor Jorge Fernández Castro, Annie María Umaña Campos, and Jerlinhg Zúñiga Loría. The event began and concluded with a performance by the postulants of San Clemente Seminary. The prayer and welcoming remarks were given by Father Thierry Raphaël, Provincial Superior. Thanks be to God; the attendance was very large.
The care of the Holy Christ of Esquipulas Sanctuary of the Agony is closely linked to the work of the Redemptorist Missionaries, who established an attached Monastery in 1929.
Father Bosco José Rodríguez Alvarado, author of the Memorial, signed and dedicated copies, and also gave copies to the priests present and to the Redemptorist Oblates. The presentation was broadcast via Facebook Live.
Father Forest Jose Rodriguez Alvarado, CSsR.
More information about this event can be found in Scala News: the centenary of the presence of the Redemptorist missionaries in Central America
Historical note:
The first church, known as El Calvario, was completed in 1852. It was of modest architecture, with adobe walls and a low facade; inside, moderately carved wood was the main feature. The church was initially dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, but over the years, devotion to the Holy Christ of Esquipulas (primarily refers to a municipality in eastern Guatemala, famously known as the spiritual and religious heart of Central America) began. With the arrival of the first Redemptorists (1925-1927) and the first Popular Missions in the area, it was decided to build a new church in 1933, due to the increase in parishioners and the need for a suitable space for the influx of devotees during the celebrations of the Holy Christ and Saint Gerard.
(Source: Municipality of Alajuela )
