St. John the Baptist Anglican Cathedral, Buenos Aires

The Saint John the Baptist Anglican Cathedral was built to serve the British population of Argentina in 1831. It is the oldest non Catholic Church in the city and the mother church of the Anglican diocese of Argentina.

The site of the Saint John the Baptist Anglican Cathedral was once the old cemetery of the Our Lady of Mercy and the convent of the Mercedarian Friars. The land was donated by the then Argentine ruler, Juan Manuel de Rosas. The building has a neoclassical style with columns and stained glass windows. A chancel was added to the existing structure in the 19th century and a bishop’s throne installed in the 20th century. During the Victorian period, an organ was donated to the church.

From the date of consecration worship at the Saint John the Baptist Anglican Cathedral has been the preserve of the English speaking people except for a few rare exceptions. Today, worshippers include elderly citizens, English speaking citizens and tourists. The church has relations with the Church of England but is not under its direct control. There is a special service held annually to honor those who died in World War I. It was declared a National Historic and Artistic Monument in the year 2000.