Right, on top of your cathedral
In the visitor's retina, the memories of an advertisement and the visual baggage of hundreds of reports. It was the year 2005 and a famous brand of beverages was being cool with Justo's story. His life is the panacea for stubbornness, obsession and blindness . The clear example that when all the vital seconds are dedicated to a goal, everything else blurs and the human being alienates himself until he blends in with his goal. In this case, with a cathedral . The ad was a little prettier, more optimistic, and more idealistic. He painted a wonderful world in which recycling and values prevailed over all adversities. From that boom remains the money that this multinational 'donated' and a little media push to this challenge.
When you get to the outskirts of Field Enhancement The first thing you notice is that yes, it is real. And yes, it is a cathedral. No hyperbole, no exaggeration, it is as it had to be to be so overwhelming. Two 60 meter cylindrical towers flank a raw façade and hide a dome that reaches 35 meters high . Come on, it is a cathedral in conditions. And everything so provisional, so rushed and so elementary. But there is still more. To the right of its façade stands a baptistry and behind it, another large building that closes off the inner courtyard. Señor Justo, and wasn't it enough for you to build just one big church?
It is real: it is a cathedral, with its towers and its dome
But perhaps the biggest surprise behind the wonder of love at first sight is that can visit , which can be entered as far as the kitchen (literally) of what will be a great temple tomorrow. And here begins the exhibition of Justo. The first, with two boards explaining his history. Recounting that I do everything for God, for "love of the Father" and for a conviction that has remained intact since in 1961 he laid the first stone on a farmland belonging to his family. Explaining that he wanted to be a monk but that they expelled him from the monastery of Santa María de Huerta because he fell ill with tuberculosis. That he doesn't know anything about masonry or architecture. That very few people help him and that it is his personal project. And next to it, of course, a piggy bank for donations completely justified since the visit is free.
The temple, baptized by its creator as Saint Mary of the Pillar, It's like a student flat. Eclectic, messy, chaotic, in constant transformation, but deep down you understand what it is. At first sight, from the inside, its three naves, today diaphanous, are surprising, in which the mural paintings by the artist from Madrid stand out. Charles Roman . A kind of nod to what will one day be a majestic work, but today is in the bones. Even the masons who help with its construction park their cars inside and some children ride bicycles in front of what will one day be the altar. The highlight is its dome: more than 40 meters fastened that for now can only be intuited thanks to the ribs of its metallic skeleton.
Wall paintings by Carlos Romano
Justo can be found anywhere in his creation, any day, even a Saturday. “Saturdays is an English invention” ensures from the balcony of the first floor of the patio. From here you can see his future cloister, already closed and with a small tree in its center. He lets himself be asked, although he usually gets involved to end up talking about his iron beliefs, his discussions with evangelists and Mormons and even his mania for Romanesque: "I like realism pure and simple, no grimaces and elongated faces", judgment.
The more steps are taken, the more he reminds his work of Modernism (curious resemblance to the other unfinished work). The rounded shapes of its exterior columns, the abuse of warm colors and even the recycled tiles used on the steps seem to be influenced by this style. But Justo quickly stands out to give a few descriptive brushstrokes of the temple. “ I don't use right angles because vertices and edges are from the devil . This was assured by a priest ”he points out.
Eclectic, messy, chaotic... But on a mission
“ I only want four colors : the white of purity, the yellow of the Father, the blue of the Holy Spirit and the red of love”. Tachan! Here is the reason for such a limited but surprising color range. And the last point he gives is about his stained glass windows, in which red and yellow guide the rays of light towards the center, where a Christian symbol presides over each different window. “The stained glass serves to imitate and conduct light” and take the opportunity to 'stir up' the Burgos cathedral a bit. “You go to Burgos and what you find is a painted painting, not what should be a stained glass window”. Amen.
The stained glass window is for what it is: to imitate and guide light
And Justo goes back to work without caring about the sun or the 88 years that he has behind him . Meanwhile, the visitor continues to wander through the different rooms, crossing paths with other tourists. There are no official figures, but it is estimated that more than 3000 visitors a year swarm the cathedral . The route goes down to the crypt (doesn't this man deprive himself of anything?), crosses the rooms of the cloister, reaches the terrace to admire the majesty of the sacristy (the best for now) and goes up to the ambulatory of the central nave to obtain The best views.
All under the constant admiration, under the comment of amazement at such a miracle. Under the realization that everything is recycled or given away , from the poor bricks that he obtains from the brickyards that abound in the east of Madrid to the cement donated by companies in the sector. And at no time is there a sense of danger or fragility. After all, every inch is well placed, braced and secured.
The future remains to be seen. For now, it is not recognized as a Cathedral since it is neither finished nor does the Diocese of Alcalá de Henares intend to process its official status. It will continue to drink from the charity of the companies and the volunteer masons who come to help. But Justo doesn't care. He knows that he is closer to fulfilling the dream and he has made everyone take him seriously in his town and beyond . This is his merit and the reason why he keeps getting closer every day to continue with his great work. The fate of his life, the legacy of his faith and, a little too, the nails of his cross.
The future remains to be seen: the project continues