Father Pedro Pablo Ladrón de Guevara Cruz, parish priest of the main parish church of San Jerónimo in Las Tunas, is a native of this eastern Cuban city.
Las Tunas, Cuba.– He was born in the hospital that once stood on the site of the current provincial Civil Registry office. He first encountered a radio booth at the former Circuito station as a child, when the building's enormous windows on Vicente García Street dazzled the locals. He still remembers the huge sign on the corner, now belonging to the Cuban Fund for Cultural Assets, that read "Victoria de las Tunas" (Victory of Las Tunas).
For him, the San Jerónimo Parish is especially dear, and he not only knows it well but is convinced of how much it means to those who live in and have grown up in Las Tunas; and all of this goes beyond faith.
“We cannot speak of Las Tunas without mentioning this church, the first Catholic temple in the city. It is a place that holds a great spiritual and historical heritage. Vicente García and his children were baptized here, his marriage is documented here, and there are also records of relatives of Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo (El Cucalambé), Julián Santana, and other prominent figures in the independence movement and the culture of Las Tunas.”
The priest says he is satisfied with the reconstruction work, which resumed a little over a year ago, because he affirms, “It hasn't stopped despite the current financial difficulties we are experiencing.”
“The church originally had three naves; the atriums next to them —all of that was part of it— but the city was burned several times, and that caused many transformations.
“In these years since we've not had the parish church (it closed its doors in September 2018), we've truly noticed its great significance, not only from a spiritual perspective.”
He explained that the ongoing work will preserve certain heritage elements, such as the bell tower and the walls, albeit with a different design. He also noted that, from now on, the majority of the space will be dedicated to the church itself; the house will be demolished, but the parish archive office and the sacristy will remain.
He doesn't share a likely completion date, no matter how much we ask; he prefers to emphasize his role as overseer of the process, reaffirming his respect for the work and his gratitude to those who approach him to ask questions or share their perspectives.
Of course, like any good resident of Las Tunas, he clearly shows his satisfaction that this complex project is progressing and taking shape; one more example of the many efforts to ensure that Las Tunas shines, vibrant and authentic, in each of its essential spaces.