Today I come to show you images of a very special place for me and my family, even for several years it became a family tradition. We used to visit it during the first days of the year, to thank for the benefits received during the previous year and to ask for its protection and guidance for the new year. Unfortunately, due to the economic crisis and gasoline shortage that my beloved Venezuela is currently suffering, we have not been able to return for several years now. This beautiful place I am referring to is the Basilica del Cristo de Jose, also known as El Cristo de los Viajeros (Christ of the Travelers). It is located in the state of Anzoátegui-Venezuela, specifically on the coastal highway, on the stretch that connects Barcelona, capital of the state of Anzoátegui with the town of Puerto Píritu.
Basilica of the Christ of Jose - Frontal perspective
Another perspective of the Basilica del Cristo de Jose.
This religious building of the Catholic Church was built thanks to the initiative of a man from a wealthy family. This man, as the story goes, when he found himself in the difficult situation that the aircraft in which he was flying, was presenting engine failures, he cried out to the "Christ of the Travelers". He asked him with great fervor for the miracle that he could save him, the aircraft irremediably ended up crashing, in fact, the remains of the plane are still on the site. However, miraculously the man was saved, for this reason, in gratitude, the man promised to build a temple to the Traveling Christ in the same place of the accident. The temple built in the name of the so grateful man, was made with excellent materials. The idea was that it would last in time, so that the people living near the site would go to pray and pray in his name. The work was entrusted to the architect Alberto Parra Kadpa and the engineer José Borges.
Remains of the wrecked aircraft
This small but beautiful temple has the peculiarity of having no walls, as you can see in the pictures. Basically, it is made up of a large bronze-colored metallic dome, supported by six pillars. Inside it houses the image of the Christ of Jose, of which there are also countless legends about its origin, but I will leave that for another opportunity. Everything in this temple is made to stand the test of time, even the seats are built in marble and concrete.
Internal view of the dome
Image of Christ of Jose
This is a very special place for the catholic community of the cities of Puerto la Cruz, Barcelona, Lechería and Guanta, since it is a pilgrimage site. Every year on the eve of Holy Week, thousands of devotees to this Catholic tradition, simulate the path of Jesus Christ to Calvary. The route, which consists of approximately 33 kilometers, starts at dusk from a sector on the outskirts of the city of Barcelona, called La Ponderosa. The parishioners walk throughout the night and arrive at the Basilica in the early hours of the morning. This act of demonstration of fervent faith towards the son of God, culminates at dawn with the first morning mass.
Internal perspective of the Basilica of the Christ of Joseph.
When I was studying at the university, thanks to the invitation of a friend and a group of friends, I had the opportunity to live this experience by participating in the pilgrimage. Since my friend belonged to a youth group of one of the churches in the area, she and her group would attend. I was not the only one who was encouraged to participate, although not all my group of friends were encouraged, the closest ones did, in the end 7 of us were encouraged to participate. I must confess, although I am ashamed, that the experience was not entirely pleasant, because it is a very long and difficult route.
Well, sadly, during the walk, we realized that our physical conditions were not the best, hahaha. Although our expectations were to complete the entire route, it was impossible to achieve it. When we were a few kilometers away from the temple, for our safety we had to get on one of the vehicles destined for people who were very tired to reach the destination. But, even though I did not manage to complete the tour, I am proud of the fact that I was just a few kilometers short of making it. To complete the experience, watching the sunrise in that place, while listening to the mass, was really very special and unforgettable.
