The Ruined San Francisco Cathedral, Antigua, Guatemala

The Franciscan order was very active in Guatemala: it was in charge of more than 100 villages and communities. The villagers would work in exchange for rites and education. This church, for a time their headquarters, was a beautiful building, but it was destroyed in the eighteenth century earthquakes that razed the city. It has been partially rebuilt and reoccupied by the Franciscans. The part that was not rebuilt is behind the present-day church: it is a fascinating place to explore. The church is also home to the remains of Antigua's own Saint Brother Pedro (1626-1667): people still come to ask him for favors.