CHURCH OF SAINT LAZARUS – Ornamentation

The ornamentation of the Church of Saint Lazarus is done in different forms. There is decoration within the architectonic work, located in the capitals of the columns, topped off by semicircular arches and crowning some devotional altars. There are fresco paintings developed on the discs located in the altars of the transept, ornamenting the existing architectonic decoration. There is also a great dome that is decorated in a heaven-like manner, i.e. completely full of stars. This ornamentation is accompanied by the paintings made in the scallops, corresponding to the main scenes in the life of Jesus: the Annunciation, Birth, Descent from the Cross and Ascension of Christ. Decorative garlands border the dome and the intrados of the adjacent semicircular arches.

The high altar is crowned by a large semicircular arch that is decorated in its extrados by six figuratively painted discs that increase as they reach the key upper part. This is repeated also in the transept altars that have decorative discs with religious images.

The altars are located on the sides of the lateral naves and represent the devotional figures of this temple. On entering the temple, there are two wall niches within the work that are between the doors of the lateral and central naves. They are dedicated to Santa Marta, the sister of Saint Lazarus and Santa Mary Magdalene; and Santa Rosa. Both are polychrome wood figures.

The lateral left nave, looking towards the altar, has the altars dedicated to the following: San Michael Archangel, completely decorated with forged iron work that covers the complete wall dedicated to the devotional space, resulting in a work style that is very interesting solving the decoration of the open access altars; an open access table with a sculptural figure dedicated to Saint Expedito. The place where the transept lies has a great altar located with a wood polychrome figure dedicated to the Crucifixion of Christ, accompanied by images on its sides of Santa Teresa de los Andes, San Alberto Hurtado, and in the upper part wall niches included in the art work with non-polychrome wood figures. All the ensemble concludes with a large ceiling rose of stained glass windows and is crowned by a semicircular arch with seven painted discs with religious motifs.

The lateral altar adjacent to the high altar is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is decorated with Gothic style architectonic motifs, as well as the table of the altar that is decorated with foliated ornaments formed like arches, such as the Gothic pinnacle with an overhang that finishes off the group. Similarly, the lateral right altar adjacent to the high altar is entrusted to Saint Lazarus and the Holy Sacrament. A small shrine is decorated in the same manner. It has a large polychrome wood figure of the saint accompanied by other smaller figures dedicated to San Juan María Vianney, Santo Cura de Ars and San Francisco.

The lateral right nave looking towards the high altar has a less number of altars. It is located beside the door and was made in cast iron in the same manner as the Altar of San Miguel Archangel, the altar dedicated to the Baby Jesus of Prague. Close to the front there is one of the columns that hold the division of the lateral nave and there is an altar dedicated to the Christ of the Trenches. It is a piece of carved non-polychrome wood with the image of Jesus, which is located within a picture frame covered with plush cloth. The carving was given the name since it was venerated in a European cathedral that dates to the XV Century and was taken out from the ruins of a trench in 1920.

One of the main characteristics in the ornamentation or the Parroquia San Lázaro is its stained glass windows, which comprise two series. The first is in the high altar and the second run through the walls of the lateral naves. These stained glass windows were built by the Mayer Company and date back to 1929 and were done in painted and furnace-heated glass in a vertical format, topped with semicircular arches. The series located in the high altar corresponds to the “Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity”.

The second series is located along the lateral naves and comprises eight stained glass windows, and shows the theme “Christ and His Family” and is broken-down in the following manner: The Sacred Heart of Jesus; Saint Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus; Saint Lazarus, Mary and Martha’s brother, and therefore Jesus’ uncle; Saint Margarita; Saint Joaquín, father of the Virgin Mary; Saint Ana, mother of the Virgin Mary; the Virgin del Carmen and Christ on the Cross.