Ken in Peru, Lima and beyond
Skulls, Manuscripts, Heritage
Fortified by the Pisco, I sauntered back to the main square of the old city, the Plaza Mayor, and went in search of the catacombs. Catacombs; I know. Why would anyone in their right mind want to go down into the depths or bowels of a monastery to see whatever there is to see. I hate horror movies or thrillers, I prefer not to be shocked to death every 5 seconds; and yet there was this morbid fascination that drew me to go in search of the nether regions of the Monastery of San Fransisco.
Archibishop’s Palace, Lima, Peru
The first place I entered, however, was the Archbishop of Lima’s residence and although I object to supporting opulent lifestyles of a class of people who have historically made a living off the backs of other, less fortunate people, the entry fee can be explained away as a means to maintain the premises as a museum where people can come to study religious art and the art of religion. The residence, still in use, is relatively new, in that it was opened in 1924, and is considered a “prime example of neo-colonial architecture that developed in Lima in the early part of the twentieth century.” The interior of the ‘palace’ is opulent to say the least, with ceilings illuminated by stained glass windows, marble staircases, and a granite sculpture of Saint Turibius of Mongrovejo the patron protector of the Archdiocese.
Private Chapel in the Archbishop Palace
Cathedral of Lima
I wandered through the various rooms on the ground floor, taking in the many objects on display, both religious and secular art, from paintings to crucifixes to statues of Mary. Having circled around to the front again, I went up the marble central staircase to the second floor. Here more objects are arranged in the various rooms, and it is necessary to really control one’s thoughts and to keep reminding oneself that this is a ‘museum’ instead of a functioning ‘office’, as there is a huge discrepancy between the ‘teachings’ on humility and ostentation and the reality. Moving up yet another set of stairs, I came into another area that truly peaked my interest, as here there were several stacks of manuscripts dating from the sixteenth century onward, unfortunately, they were not accessible, and I had to be satisfied with only being afforded a few lustful glances at these treasures. After a final peek at yet another glittering object, and a quick visit to the main private chapel in the palace which houses a gold-coated image of the virgin Mary ensconced in an intricately carved niche, I descended the staircase and went in search of the entrance to the cathedral next door.
Cathedral interior withcarved wood choir stalls surrounding the altar.
Here too, as in many other similar structures throughout South America, the art and décor were magnificent, and I wandered through the aisles and along the various side chapels. The paintings of ‘the way of the cross’ that adorn the walls of the Cathedral of Lima, are complemented by several important images in various side chapels,including that of the first western-hemisphere born person proclaimed a saint, Santa Rosa de Lima. Surrounding the main altar are beautifully crafted wood choir stalls, the work of “Spanish architect and sculptor Pedro de Noguera who worked on this project for almost 17 years.” First constructed nearly 500 years ago, the initially modest structure expanded over the next century. Even so, the Cathedral has also been affected numerous times by disastrous earthquakes, and the present structure is a near total rebuild of the cathedral that was destroyed in 1746 by a massive earthquake. In 1991, the Cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The treasures of the Monastery – manuscripts in a massive library
Oh if only…
From the cathedral it is only a short distance to the Monastery of San Francisco. This was my intended destination, and as much as the cathedral had awed me with the works of art and intricate designs, the monastery, to me at least, was a much more interesting place to explore; and not because of the catacombs. I had no idea when I arrived at the ‘minor Basilica’ that it housed a massive library, but when I entered the room it was as though time stood still, and it took a massive effort to pick my jaw back up off the ground. Arranged along the walls were treasures beyond all price as far as I was concerned. More than 25,000 books and manuscripts are housed in the library, many of them rare or unique editions ranging in age from the 15th to 19th centuries. More than 6,000 scrolls created by the monks who lived at the monastery over the centuries are also stored in careful rows. The contents of the manuscripts are not only religious in nature but cover a wide array of topics, including history, music, philosophy, law and literature. All I could do was stare at this treasure trove, I could not reach out and explore the manuscripts. It was forbidden even to take photographs, but I could not resist, and so have included here one picture of a part of the library (taken without a flash).
Skulls arranged in a circular pattern in a pit in the catacombs of Lima
Catacombs of Lima
With great difficulty I tore myself away from the library, I so much wanted to request access to the manuscripts, but didn’t carry with me the necessary credentials, nor did I have 10 days to sit around to wait for approval. I went in search of the staircase that descends into the cellars and the catacombs of the monastery. The tours through the catacombs are guided, and groups of 10 to 15 people are taken through at intervals of 10 or 15 minutes. As I said at the opening, I am not one for things in horror movies, and yet my curiosity drove me on to explore. The areas below the monastery are huge, and I noticed several doors that remain sealed (from subsequent reading I have learned that there are likely many other passages that have not yet been opened up to the public, including some that may lead to other churches or government buildings around the old city centre); we walked through several levels and through many different rooms. Roughly there are three levels: the upper chambers and crypts where rulers and churchmen were buried, the middle level where other prominent people were buried among the commoners, and the lower level, which consists mainly of deep pits with rounded brick walls, where everyone else (the rabble) was buried in a mass grave. Over time, the catacombs have been re-organized, and bodies ‘re-arranged’, with some vaults used to store and display bones of a specific type, such as femurs, or tibias, or skulls, in “some cases arranged according to decorative concentric patterns”. It is estimated that there are roughly 25,000 people buried in the catacombs.
