Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud — Puerto Rico Historic Buildings Drawings Society

Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud

 

Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud

Calle del Cristo
San Juan, Puerto Rico

The legend says that the chapel of the Cristo de la Salud was erected to honor a miracle.

Legend has it that for the years 1750 or so, there had been a horse race along the Cristo Street. One of the participants could not stop his horse and fell down the cliff. Don Tomás Mateo Prats, who was Secretary of Government for that time, invoked the Santo Cristo de la Salud and that the young man who fell off the precipice was saved. Thanking the Santo Cristo de la Salud, Don Tomás Mateo Prats ordered to build the chapel.

The truth was not that. Studies by Don Adolfo de Hostos confirmed that the young man who fell down the cliff, died. Don Tomás Mateo Prats ordered to erect the Chapel to prevent future tragedies.

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