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All Spain Barcelona Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor

Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor

Possibly the oldest church in Barcelona, this basilica has its pagan and Christian mythologies all mixed up.

Barcelona, Spain

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Felipe Trigo
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Saints Justus and Pastor… or Castor and Pollux?   Oliver Bonjoch/CC BY-SA 3.0
The facade of the basilica, with statuettes of Justus and Pastor praying to the Virgin above the doorway.   Enfo/CC BY-SA 4.0
The facade of the Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor.   Pere prlpz/CC BY-SA 3.0
A stained glass window on the Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor.   Enfo/CC BY-SA 4.0
The organ inside the basilica.   Enfo/CC BY-SA 4.0
Inside the basilica.   Enfo/CC BY-SA 4.0
The nave of the Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor.   Zarateman/Public Domain
6th century Episcopal building inside the church   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
The basilica is nestled into a busy plaza.   Pere López/CC BY-SA 3.0
Oldest church in BCN   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The Basilica of the Martyr Saints Justus and Pastor may be the oldest church in Barcelona. The current Gothic structure was built around 1342, but it's believed that a Christian church has sat on this site since 300 CE, and that even before that it was a place of pagan worship.

It's believed this ancient church may have originally been a shrine to Castor and Pollux, twin figures of Greco-Roman mythology. As Barcelona became a Catholic city over the centuries, the twins may have evolved into or been conflated with Justus and Pastor, two Christian boys beheaded by the Roman Emperor Diocletian for refusing to deny their faith in 304 CE.

The relics of the boy martyrs are now venerated at the Barcelona basilica, which is offered up to them and "La Moreneta," the Black Madonna. She is the patron saint of Catalonia, and is also believed by some to be based on an ancient source, the Egyptian goddess Isis.

The clashing architectural styles of the church are a result of its long history. Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neolassical elements all mingle to create a unique atmosphere outside of time and place. It was promoted to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1946. 

Interestingly, the Basilica also held significant political power. After retaking Barcelona from the Moors in 801, King Louis the Pious declared that a last will and testament made by any king inside the church was a legally binding document. This was later extended to anyone inside the church, and was not repealed until 1991. Combatants preparing to duel would also swear on a Bible in the basilica that they would fight fairly. If one of the fighters was Jewish (as much of the city's population was at one point), the church provided a copy of the Ten Commandments for them to swear upon.

Related Tags

Churches Paganism Christianity Saints Duels Mythology Roman Sacred Spaces

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Open daily 5-8pm.

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Added By

FelipeTrigo

Edited By

Molly McBride Jacobson, Xavixavir

  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • Xavixavir

Published

February 13, 2017

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Sources
  • http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-altar-of-souls-in-purgatory.html
  • https://catholicbarcelona.com/2014/03/01/sants-just-i-pastor/
  • https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/barcelona/attractions/esglesia-de-sants-just-i-pastor/a/poi-sig/375161/1320690
  • http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/1209/church-of-sants-just-i-pastor.html
  • http://kespwriting.blogspot.com/2016/06/hist-myth-hidden-treasure-in-barcelona.html
Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor
Plaça Sant Just i Pastor 1
Barcelona
Spain
41.382834, 2.178232
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