All About Santa Fe de Antioquia’s Churches

TLDR? Whether you’re religious or interested in architecture and history, this town’s beautiful churches are a must on your trip.

Being a religious person, I always try to visit my holiday destination’s churches. And Colombia has a great variety of constructions with different styles and stories!

Since Colombia ceased to be a Catholic country with the 1991 constitution, some villages still maintain a very religious environment, with a great history and devotion to different saints and figures.

If you want to spend a day visiting the fascinating churches in Santa Fe de Antioquia, keep reading to know more about this town’s top spots!

Iglesia de Santa Barbara 

One of my favorite places! Its structure in an Antioquian popular Baroque style resembles a medieval castle. However, the lights adorning it at night give it a more modern look!

Iglesia de Santa Barbara’s the oldest temple in the village. It dates from 1726.

Santa Barbara’s also called the patroness of miners and gunners, which is why you’ll find a large cross in front of the church.

You can find this temple in one of the most famous streets of Santa Fe de Antioquia, La Calle de la Amargura (Bitterness Street).

Mass times and schedule

Take part in a mass at the time that best suits you. On Sundays (holidays in Colombia), you can attend these hours:

• 7 am
• 10 am
• 6 pm 
• 8 pm

When I visited this church, Saturdays were days for reflection and silence. Special masses occur according to Colombian holidays, such as mother’s day, usually at 2 pm, 5 pm, or 6 pm.

Activities

You can attend the feasts of Pentecost and Ash Wednesday, where they put a black cross on your forehead. This symbolizes the death of Jesus, humility, and penance.

During the Holy Week, from Thursday to Sunday, different masses celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus.

I attended the washing of feet and the blessing of water and fire, and I can tell the Catholic religion’s celebrated here differently than in the United States.

There are other religious feasts, such as the blessing of the cross and the resurrection day.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parroquiasantabarbarasantafedeantioquia/

Address: Cll 11 #08-53, Santa Fe de Antioquia. 

Catedral Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción

A small but beautiful temple, Catedral Basílica is in the village’s central park. Constructed in 1797, this is the archdiocese of Santa Fe de Antioquia’s focal place and has become the village’s and surrounding area’s meeting point.

In front of it, you’ll find a beautiful fountain. The temple, one of Colombia’s national monuments, has a baroque style and (as its name implies) is dedicated to the religious worship of the Virgin Mary under the title of immaculate conception. 

A kind lady told me an old story that a long time ago, a church’s monsignor managed to get an organ to celebrate the masses, but the ship that brought it was wrecked.

After a few days, a man swam by the Magdalena River and found the instrument, which later became the property of the Iglesia de Santa Barbara.

Mass times and schedule

The times at which you can attend Mass are:

• From Monday to Thursday: 7 am.
• From Friday to Saturday: 7 am and 7 pm.
• Sunday: 8 am, 11 am, 6 pm, and 7 pm. 

Activities 

You can tour the religious museum, which has numerous jewels and an art gallery in the sacristy.

But without a doubt, the most interesting are the concerts of religious music and choirs that are presented from time to time. They also make the so-called “novenarios”, nine days during which you ask for a miracle or pray for a deceased.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catedral Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción

Address:  Calle 10 N° 09-76, Santa Fé de Antioquia.

Iglesia de Jesús Nazareno

Iglesia de Jesús Nazareno is another national monument of Colombia, and it’s only a few streets from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

In my opinion, this is the most beautiful church in Santa Fe de Antioquia. It looks like a small house in front of a park; its structure is simple and has a fresh environment.

It’s also called the “Iglesia de mi Padre Jesus” and dates back to 1828. As you may have deduced, this temple worships Jesus of Nazareth.

It houses an ancient and miraculous image of Jesus of Nazareth that participates in some of the town’s celebrations.

Mass and schedule

You can attend the masses of this beautiful church on Sunday:

• 12 am
• 7 pm 

Activities

Like the church of Santa Barbara, you can enjoy the Holy Week activities. You can also witness the municipal choirs and religious bands that play music to animate the Mass.

Also, the Christmas season is when you can take part in the typical Colombian novenas and fully enjoy this small hidden village!

Address: Cll 10 # Calle del Medio, Santa Fé de Antioquia

Spend a day visiting typical Antioquian churches

Spend a day learning about the religious history of Santa Fe de Antioquia. Whether you want to go to mass and enjoy the music and spirituality or simply admire the architectural wonders of our country, I’m sure you’ll love it.

Of course, all churches are family-friendly spots!

If you like this blog, you might like the Casacol Instagram page to keep up with all the new articles. Anything we need to update or correct? Care to contribute? Email us at blog@casacol.co.