Iglesia de la Recoleta (Church of the Recoleta), Asuncion

Located in the Recoleta district of Asunción, the Church of the Recoleta-formally known as the Blessed Sacrament Parish-stands as a historical and architectural landmark with deep roots in Paraguay’s colonial and religious history. Its name honors the Franciscan Recollect friars who reconstructed the original abbey, first established in 1729.

The church as it stands today was completed in 1829, following an eventful period when the original convent was closed in 1824 by Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia and temporarily converted into a stable. However, that same year, the dictator reversed course and established La Recoleta as an independent parish, formally separating it from La Encarnación.

Under President Carlos Antonio López’s leadership, the church underwent substantial renovations starting in 1850. His influence extended beyond the building itself: in 1862, he imported materials from Europe to beautify the cemetery grounds, a rare and notable decision for that time.

Architecturally Baroque, the Church of the Recoleta once defined a vast parish territory that stretched from Ysaty to the Paraguay River, and from Las Mercedes to Fernando de la Mora. The first parish priest was Father Julio Cecilio Fleitas.

Uniquely, the church includes a cemetery within its grounds-a remnant of earlier traditions when burials occurred around church buildings. Later, for public health reasons, a formal cemetery was established to the west of the chapel, enclosed by 334 meters of wall. While the cemetery is now under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Asunción, the church remains active as a parish.