Our Lady of Solitude

Having a town to call home, a place that you know inside and out, is very special. There are places where you have amazing memories that you’ll never forget. You will always cherish being with friends, families or even by yourself. East Los Angeles is a community with mostly Hispanic people. 96% of the population is Hispanic here, so just imagine how crazy it gets. Us Latinos are known for throwing big celebrations like for Cumpleaños (birthdays) and Quinceañeras (15th birthday celebrations).

One place that offers people these kinds of celebrations is our very own church, “Nuestra Señora de Soledad” (Our Lady of Solitude). This church has many people booking their celebration here because it is a very special and holy place. This church has been standing in the same spot for over 91 years, since 1925. In less than 10 years, this church will have been here for a century! This church is a very important part of East Los Angeles. It was here before East Los Angeles was very well-known. Back in time, this community was known as Old Town Maravilla. This church has been opened since Christmas Day in 1925 and still continues to serve the people only minor changes and additions were added to the building.

This is a big landmark in East Los Angeles; it is what started the religious parts of the community. As one of the oldest churches in town, almost everyone knows it. This church is well-known for La Señora de Soledad. This saint represents a woman who is the mother of Christ when he was crucified. Soledad in this context, means to contemplate. The inside of the church is gorgeous. When you enter, there is a set of stairs that go up pretty high. As you walk up the stairs, it feels like you walking into heaven, which is God’s temple. When you enter the door, the first thing you notice is that the church is very nice and old school, with saint statues on the sides and wooden benches with beautiful symbols. The beautiful altar is located in the front. It’s surrounded by flowers and big tall candles that give a light to the place. Overall the whole temple is beautiful. The quietness of the church lets people come in and be in solitude. This is a perfect place for anyone who is Catholic and wants to come to mass, or just to come to talk to God. I encourage anyone who’s looking for a place to be alone or pray for his or her loved ones to come to Señora de Soledad.