Marina HS Choir will be featured for High Mass at Catedral del Salvador in Oviedo, Thursday April 12th, at 12 noon.

The Catedral del Salvador (Cathedral of the Savior) in Oviedo will host the Marina HS Choir to celebrate High Mass on Thursday, April 12th, at 12 noon.

The cathedral of San Salvador of Oviedo remains today as a unique example of different architectural styles, from Pre-Romanesque to Baroque, including Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance parts. Originally, there was a big Pre-Romanesque basilica in the present location of the Sothic cathedral. This primitive basilica that had been built by Fruela in honour to this Saint and that had been destroyed by the Muslims, but nothing is known about that first building (which was built by order of King Alfonso II of Asturias The Chaste).

The cathedral was also called Sancta Ovetensis owing to quantity and quality of relics contained in the Cámara Santa (English: Holy Chamber). The Holy Chamber remains as the only sample of the ancient high-medieval complex. It was built as a relics' room to keep the different treasures associated to the Asturian Monarchy (Cross of Angels, Cross of Victory, Agatha Box).

The chief feature of the cathedral is the "Camara Santa", with its venerable relics. Bishop Pelayo relates that the Agatha Box, a coffer made by the disciples of the Apostles, and containing the most precious relics of the Holy City, was taken from Jerusalem to Africa, and after several translations was finally deposited at Oviedo by Alfonso II. In the 16th century, Bishop Cristóbal de Sandoval y Rojas wished to open it, but could not, being overcome with religious fear. Many other relics are to be seen.

The temple has a Latin cross plan with three naves, being the major one 10 meters width and the side ones 6 meters height. All the vaults are simple rib vaults except for the central one which is a star- shape vault. The central nave height allows the space to be better illuminated thanks to big windows of elliptic arches. The presbytery has suffered several changes.

During the Baroque, part of the choir was redesigned in order to build an ambulatory with radial chapels. The Major Chapel conserves its original plan keeping inside the altarpiece with scenes of Christ life by Giralte de Brusela, Alonso de Berrugueta and Juan de Balmaseda in Renaissance style, becoming one of the biggest altarpieces in Spain.

Around the apse there is a Renaissance ambulatory and five radial chapels has been opened to it. The Gothic tower is 80 meters height and is finished off by a fretwork spire from 1556. In the Chapel of the King Castro, we can find the Royal Pantheon in Baroque style, which is the burial place of the Prince and Princess of Asturias.

The Diocesan Museum has been set up in the cloister. This museum houses important archaeological samples.

References:

http://www.inspain.org/en/sites/cathedralofsansalvador.asp

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/catedral-de-san-salvador-de-oviedo 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_San_Salvador,_Oviedo

Pictures: http://www.troito.com/2011/01/fotografia-catedral-de-oviedo.html
http://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitxer:Pante%C3%B3n_real_de_la_Catedral_de_Oviedo--1.jpg