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History
Dear visitor, welcome to San Sebastián and the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. It is a temple built thanks to the deep faith of its citizens. It is visited by its parishioners, tourists, travellers and pilgrims on their way to Compostela to seek moments of reflection and prayer.
The temple that you now visit is built on land once occupied by sandbanks and marshes. The city of San Sebastián extended outside its old town and its ancient walls that had already been destroyed. The inhabitants of this new area, called the Amara expansion, needed a parish to be cared for materially and spiritually. At the end of 1887, among four projects, the one designed by the architect from San Sebastián Manuel Echave was selected, who was entrusted with the direction of the works. It was executed following the neo-Gothic style, very popular at the time. The works began after the laying of the first stone, an event that was celebrated on September 29, 1888. The event was attended by the Spanish royal family who were spending the summer in the city. The queen regent, Maria Cristina, together with ministers and other authorities attended the solemn Mass that was celebrated in the provisional parish of the Sacred Heart. After the ceremony, the procession went to the site destined for the new temple. It was land donated by the city council for the construction of the temple and the first stone was laid there.
“The parishioners were excited to attend the construction of their temple, which today continues to be a spiritual and architectural reference for the city of San Sebastián”
During the following years, the parishioners devoted themselves to its construction with a commendable collective enthusiasm, capable of overcoming all adversities. All families, regardless of their social class, promoted the construction thanks to their contributions, while different institutions also contributed significant sums for its rapid completion. After only nine years of work, under the invocation of the Good Shepherd, the new temple was consecrated to worship on July 30, 1897, the eve of the feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, patron of Gipuzkoa and founder of the Jesuits. That day the first Mass was celebrated, celebrated by the bishop of Vitoria, the diocese to which the city of San Sebastián then belonged. In 1899 the temple was completed with the construction of the 75 meter-high bell tower, the work of architect Ramón Cortázar.
After these historical data, we began the visit to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd of San Sebastián. Possibly, you have been overwhelmed by its dimensions and monumentality. With a surface area of 1,915 m 2 , it is the largest religious building in Gipuzkoa. It is a temple with a Latin cross plan, three naves, a transept and a pentagonal head. The harmony of the space, the elevation of its naves and the simplicity of the crosses make this temple one of the most relevant examples of Basque neo-Gothic architecture.
Let’s cross the threshold that gives access to the sacred enclosure. Let’s begin our visit by heading to the Epistle nave which is to the right of the main entrance. Here is the chapel that houses a beautiful reproduction of the Tilma of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Behind her are the colourful stained glass windows of “The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple”, “The Adoration of the Child in Bethlehem” and “The Baptism of the Lord”, which reminds us that the baptistery was here in the past.
“I am telling you the truth, that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit”
Saint John 3, 5
The simple carving of the Immaculate, of great popular devotion, is in this nave through which we continue our visit until we reach the transept of the temple. Surely you have seen, distributed on the side walls, some simple crosses that correspond to the XIV stations of the VIA CRUCIS. On many occasions it seems that accompanying Jesus in his Passion and Death ends in the tomb, forgetting that on the third day Christ was resurrected and is alive among us. VIA LUCIS
We arrive at the temple transept. On its side wall, under the rose window, is the neo-Gothic altarpiece dedicated to Mary Immaculate. His effigy presides over the complex and is accompanied by sculptures of two young Jesuit saints; Saint Louis Gonzaga and Saint Stanislaus of Kostka.
Luis Gonzaga belonged to a family of the high Italian nobility and renounced the principality that corresponded to him as the first-born in favour of his brother. Once freed from any earthly bond, he entered the Society of Jesus to surrender to the divine plan of Providence. He died at the age of 23 while assisting contagious patients during the serious epidemic that attacked the city of Rome in 1591. He is protector of life and patron of youth.
Stanislaus of Kostka was a saint who, after travelling more than 500 kilometres from his native Poland to Rome, was admitted as a novice at an early age. However, it was only nine months in the novitiate, because he died at the age of 17. Even though he died at such a young age, he was an authentic model of holiness.
Next, on the wall of this last section of the nave, we can see the paintings of the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, patron saint of the city, a reproduction of “The Virgin of the Rosary with Child” by Murillo and “The Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus and the angel”.
At the head of the nave we can see the altarpiece of the Holy Family. The Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph accompany the Child Jesus accompanied by the Holy Spirit, represented in the form of a dove that is in the heights. At his side, the images of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne , parents of Mary and therefore, grandparents of Jesus. Between two angels, the carving of the bishop Saint Blaise crowns the whole, patron of throat diseases. In the lower part of this beautiful altarpiece, at the foot of the Holy Family of Nazareth, the greatest treasure that we can find in this temple seems to go unnoticed, the Eucharistic Presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle. The risen Christ sacrificed himself for each of us and freely saved us with his death on the cross.
“Jesus is alive among us, He is the same yesterday, today and always”
We arrive at the main altar, in whose apse on a carved choir stall there is the effigy of Jesus, The Good Shepherd, to whose dedication the temple is consecrated. Above it, in the upper section of the apse, there are seven imposing double stained glass windows with images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, accompanied by the twelve Apostles.
Psalm 23 (22)
The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water. He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised. Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me. You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honored guest and fill my cup to the brim. I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live.
“On July 30, 1953, with the consecration of the new main altar, the temple of the Good Shepherd acquired cathedral status”
In the left column we distinguish the seated carving of the Virgin of the Rosary, image of fine features and great serenity. Mary, covered by a delicate bluish cloak, appears as a young mother who presents her Son to us and advances her right arm, bringing her rosary to us. At the foot of the altar is the baptismal font. The Baptism is the foundation of all Christian life, the portico of life in the Spirit and the door of access to the rest of the sacraments. Through the Baptism received here, we are freed from sin, becoming members of Christ and incorporated into his Church.
On the columns of the temple transept are the seated figures of the Four Evangelists, resting on solid stone bases with the carved figures of the Tetramorphs. They are images from the old main altar.
Behind you, above the main entrance, in the choir, is the cathedral’s imposing organ which was built in Azpeitia and inaugurated on January 19, 1954. It was a donation from the San Sebastián Fermín de Lasala, Duke of Mandas. It is the largest organ of the state and one of the largest in Europe. It has 8,174 tubes; 6,769 of tin, 1,050 of zinc and 355 of wood, its longest tube being 12.50 meters, and the smallest just one centimetre. It weighs 30 tons, has 5 keyboards and 105 registers, which allows you to play pieces of various styles and periods.
We continue our visit by going to the Gospel nave. At its head is the Altarpiece of the Virgin of Mount Carmel and Blessed Souls of purgatory. In the central relief, the Virgin Mary tenderly contemplates and assists the purified souls on their ascent to Heaven. Our Lady of Mount Carmel is also the patron saint of sailors, whom sailors have always invoked for protection. Saint Anthony of Padua, one of the few saints who is represented with the Child Jesus in his arms, and Saint Nicholas of Bari escort the main image. Meanwhile, the effigy of San Raymond Nonnatus, patron saint of pregnant women, crowns the ensemble.
Let’s continue our visit by directing our gaze to the side wall. Above the carving of a Recumbent Christ, we see a canvas of the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew, who had the privilege of being the first apostle chosen by Jesus. From the earliest times it was called Prōtoklētos “the first called“. Next, past the reproduction of Murillo‘s well-known artwork “The Holy Family of the Little Bird”, there is a Calvary with its usual iconographic composition. Crucified Jesus is accompanied by his mother, the Virgin Mary, and Saint John, the beloved disciple, who rests his hands on his chest to show his affliction at seeing his Lord dead. Veneration of Christ Crucified is very common throughout the Catholic world. The people have always known that the Christian proclamation is anchored in a cross. Jesus freed us from sin and death by dying on the cross. Salvation is a gift of the blood of Christ. Everything is a free gift from God and his love for us.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life”
Saint John 3, 16
The last altarpiece is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Christ shows us his burning heart of Love for us. It wants to be an invitation to enter the great mystery of his infinite love. The smaller carvings of the Apostle Saint James and the arrowed effigy of Saint Sebastian, a martyr with great devotion in past times for being the patron of the dying and protector against the plague, escort the main image.
We are finishing our visit by touring the nave of the Gospel. In it we see the carving of Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus in his arms and a simple image of Saint Pancras, belonging to the disappeared church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Upon reaching the barred chapel that gives access to the choir and the tower, there are the carvings of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Jude Thaddeus, saints with great devotion among the parishioners.
We hope your visit has been pleasant. Before leaving the temple built by human hands for the greater Glory of God, we invite you to have a few moments of reflection and prayer. You can accompany and worship the Lord in his Eucharistic presence in the Tabernacle. To do this, we put at your disposal some prayers that may help you at this time. Likewise, thanks to the various links in the text, you can delve deeper into the lives of the Saints located in the temple’s altarpieces.
HYMN TO THE GOOD SHEPHERD
ON THE OCCASION OF HIS CENTENARY
(1897 - 1997)
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
You walk next to the humans
sharing his pain;
sowing in your path
the hope, the illusion.
You are the pilgrim of love,
The Good Shepherd.
If you are by my side,
I can’t miss anything:
neither the grass nor the spring
where I can lie down.
I no longer have any fear
because you are with me.
Your rod and your staff are
my joy and security. (Psalm 23)
You go along with our walk
teaching to share
our bread, our freedom,
the joy of living.
Give us strength to move forward
without moving away from You.
Our paths will meet
in a happy destiny.
You walk next to the humans
sharing his pain;
sowing in your path
the hope, the illusion.
You are the pilgrim of love,
The Good Shepherd.
If you are by my side,
I can’t miss anything:
neither the grass nor the spring
where I can lie down.
I no longer have any fear
because you are with me.
Your rod and your staff are
my joy and security. (Psalm 23)
You go along with our walk
teaching to share
our bread, our freedom,
the joy of living.
Give us strength to move forward
without moving away from You.
Our paths will meet
in a happy destiny.
Jesus the Good Shepherd
I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them.There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.
John 10, 14-15
Blessing of the pilgrims
O God, you brought your servant Abraham out of the city of Ur of the Chaldeans, kept him on all his pilgrimages, and were the guide of the Hebrew people through the desert. For this reason, we ask you to deign to guard these children of yours who, for the love of your name, make a pilgrimage to Compostela.
Be a companion on the road for them, guide at the crossroads, breath in tiredness, defence in danger, shelter on the road, gentle breeze in the heat, shelter from the cold, light in the dark, comfort in their discouragements and firmness in their purposes so that, with your help, they reach the end of their journey well and, enriched with graces and virtues, they return home safe and sound, filled with eternal joy.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
HELP US
The temple is God’s house and ours. Let’s collaborate to keep it worthy. If you wish to collaborate in the conservation of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd of San Sebastian or in its activities, make a donation.
Self-financing is the challenge that we Catholics take on, because the maintenance of our community is in our hands. This is done through subscription, which is convenient, stable and deducts taxes in the Income Tax Return.