San Antonio's San Fernando Cathedral

One of the outstanding retablos in the main chapel of San Fernando is Our Lady of Candelaria, Patroness of the Canary Islands.  This may seem surprising, but San Fernando was actually founded by fifty-six Canary Islanders in 1731.  A lovely French Gothic nave was added in 1868, replacing the front of the original church.  Just inside the east entrance is the sarcophagus of the Defenders of the Alamo.  The remains were found buried under the sanctuary in 1936.  Pope John Paul II visited San Fernando Cathedral in 1987.