Jesuit ruins

Take a bumpy bus ride into the farm country, passing “urban zone” signs where only one farmhouse and a field of cows is visible, and you will be on your way to the Jesuit Reductions of Trinidad and Jesus. These two UNESCO world heritage sites give a glimpse into the role the Jesuits played in introducing the region to Spanish rule and the Catholic Church. Located in the middle of farm country, the most you would say is that they are peaceful spots, the sort of place I would go to escape from the hustle of a city. But in their day they were home to over 6,000 Guarani, along with 3-4 priests. The settlements seem to take a standard format, even if the architecture of the two churches is different. There is, of course, a large church calling your attention as soon as you approach the site – you can never forget these were religious sites. But you will also find school rooms, artisan workshops and housing for those higher up in the local culture along with fields and irrigation. These were self sufficient communities which just happened to also send back a great amount of crafts and wealth to Spain.

The skill of the Guarani craftspeople is visible in the stone carvings which decorated the church, some now stacked on shelves at Trinidad, others still gracing the walls behind the altar a silent testimony to the musical ability of these people. The immenseness of the project to build the church becomes evident when you see the baptismal fount and pulpit carved out of enormous blocks of stone, and when the provisional church in and of itself impressive is pointed out as being built a just a temporary measure until the main church was finished. A tall tower served as a connection in between Trinidad and Jesus, allowing communication by mirror, bell and fire – even though Jesus is an unfinished mission. Begun as the Jesuits were losing favor and never finished due to the Jesuit withdrawal, today it sits in a peaceful spot off a dirt and cobblestone road. Rising out of the fields the church remains seem to make a statement about the strength of Catholicism in the country. With the half columns standing within the shell of the church it is clear that the time of glory for the Jesuits has passed in Paraguay, but there is also no denying the impact that was made on the country in both the religious and political arena.