La Catedral de San Lucas Iglesia Santuario
St Lukes Episcopal Cathedral

(Go towards the Bridge of the Americas, make a right hand turn off of Ave. de los Matires onto Gorgas Road. St. Luke's Cathedral will be on your left.)

Located next to the Cathedral is the All Soul's Chapel, which holds the room for cremated remains and Columbarium reverent space for the ashes of those interred in the Cathedral.

The Cathedral of St. Luke is a magnificent building and was constructed in the Italian neo-classical style using what was then the new technique of reinforced concrete. Its beautiful square tower became a symbol of strength of the Cathedral. Worth noting is that the Cathedral was one of the most important churches on the Isthmus during the construction of the Canal and remains the spiritual center for the Episcopal Church of Panama.

The Cathedral´s history began with a private chapel in the home of Coronal William Crawford Gorgas, for his moments of prayer. Subsequently, a room for a chapel was provided in what was the old Gorgas Hospital.

In 1908 a small wooden chapel was built. It became St Luke´s Episcopal Church of Ancon, Canal Zone, named in honor of St Luke, the medical evangelist and author of the Acts of the Apostles.

Bishop James Craik Morris had the vision of replacing the small wooden chapel for a bigger, more permanent structure. Because of his vision, his memory and an enthusiastic congregation, construction started on the new building on 23 April 1922 when the cornerstone was laid.

Construction was completed on August 12, 1923, and it was with God´s blessing that the Cathedral was consecrated on the third Sunday of Lent, 1924, at a solemn religious ceremony.

The Columbarium Project at St Luke´s is finally completed and was consecrated by Bishop Murray on Tuesday 19 March 2013.