patrimony

Penonomé church in need of repairs

Rafael Quezada/la prensa

water damage:The altar in the Penonomé cathedral is in danger of collapsing for want of proper upkeep.994513

People come to the San Juan Bautista cathedral in Penonomé looking for salvation.

But now the church needs some saving of its own.

Its roof is leaking, its walls are cracked and its altar might collapse at any time.

In short, the cathedral, which was constructed in the 16th century shortly after the founding of the town, is in serious need of a makeover.

On entering the church from its main door, worshippers are greeted with a sign that says, "Hijo mío, ayúdame," or "My son, help me."

The committee that posted the notice isn't looking for divine intervention, but rather contributions from the local community. The sign was put up to motivate people to help with the effort to renovate the cathedral, said Viodelda Jaén de Suárez, president of the committee formed to coordinate renovation efforts.

The church contains many historical artifacts, including an image of the Immaculate Conception on the altar that historians believe was a gift from King Charles III of Spain.

"If we do not take appropriate measures, this image could be damaged," said Jaén de Suárez. Removing the image from the church is the last resort, but the committee president said it is a possibility if money can't be raised for repairs.

An inspection of the building carried out by officials from the Universidad Tecnológica de Coclé (UTC) found that the rear wall of the cathedral is in the most immediate need of repair. Pablo Moreno, who helped conduct the study, said fungus has already started to grow inside the church from water seeping in through the wall.

The cost of repairing the wall is estimated at $2,100.

The church's pastor, José Domingo Rodríguez, said he is confident that the funds will be raised in short order so that the work can begin.