Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Sopetrán, Colombia Verified listing

Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Sopetrán, Colombia

The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption in Sopetrán, Antioquia, Colombia, is a Catholic temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the invocation of the Assumption. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe de Antioquia, making it a central spiritual and cultural landmark. Furthermore, Manuel María Dávila and Pedro Sevillano donated the money and land needed for its construction, and Father Justiniano Madrid directed the building process. Interestingly, the parish initially buried Pedro Sevillano’s remains in the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but in the 1940s, the priest moved them to the cemetery because Sevillano had led a disorderly life.

The basilica features neoclassical architecture, combining Doric, Ionic, and Tuscan orders. Its rectangular floor plan includes three interior naves, and two towers rise 28 meters high on the main façade. The central nave contains a main altarpiece arranged horizontally in three sections. The base forms a plinth, while the second section includes three parts supported by smooth Ionic columns. The central niche holds a painting of Our Lady of the Assumption, believed to be of Quito origin, flanked by the Virgin of Carmen on the left and Saint Joseph on the right. The third section features smaller Ionic columns and spiral volutes on the sides. Additionally, Fathers Ramón Ramírez and Germán Ceballos enhanced the altarpiece by applying 22-karat gold embroidery, giving the basilica the majestic appearance it shows today.

For More Churches