Catholicism has deep roots in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The first diocese in the New World was authorized in Puerto Rico in 1504 but not officially launched due to the opposition of King Ferdinand of Spain, who didn’t want tithes to the diocese to take gold he believed was rightfully the crown’s. Today, between 75 and 85 percent of Puerto Rico’s population identifies as Roman Catholic, and their faith is a rich combination of elements of Spanish, Latin American and West African traditions.
Founded in 1521, the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is the oldest church on U.S. soil and the second-oldest church in the Western Hemisphere. The gothic structure built in 1529 is actually the second church on the site, since the original was destroyed by a storm. It contains the remains of the explorer and conquistador Juan Ponce de León, as well as those of the martyr St. Pius. It also houses some relics, such as the vestments worn by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Puerto Rico in 1984.