Calendar – Florida Cultural Heritage Center

Colonial Florida Cultural Heritage Center • Corpus Christi Church • Martha/Mary Concerts

The Cultural Center, working with its partners Corpus Christi Church and Martha/Mary Concerts, presents a variety of concerts, programs, and cultural celebrations available live to the greater South Florida community, and via internet to the world beyond. The Center also shares its facilities with a select group of arts and cultural organizations, as time and resources allow. All events are designed to enrich, educate and illuminate, bringing beauty and truth while creating a true sense of the goodness of our world-wide community.

For further details, timing and exact locations (La Merced Chapel and Museum, La Merced Plaza, La Casa, Corpus Christi Church, the outdoor parking/field area, or one of the parish missions) please visit this and the MarthaMaryConcerts.org websites or call the Corpus Christi parish office at 305-635-1331 or contact us.

See MarthaMaryConcerts on You Tube for past concerts held on site (on steps of La Merced Chapel and Museum and in Corpus Christi Church) with Student Art Gallery in La Merced or the Parish Hall.

~2025~

Friday, October 24 at 7:30 pm
An Evening with Italian Saxophone Quartet
Location: Corpus Christi Church

Saturday, December 6 at 7:30 pm
StarBurst Concert : Paul Posnak and Anita Castiglione with Zaryah Gourget and Brandon Flores
Location: Corpus Christi Church

~2026~

Sunday, January 25 at 4pm
The Essence of America: Epstein/Wang/Larsen Trio
Location: Corpus Christi Church

Sunday, April 19 at 4pm
UM Frost Chorale Celebration Concert With Special Guests
Location: Corpus Christi Church

Traditional Cultural Celebrations

Corpus Christi Church celebrates numerous cultural and religious events, particularly traditional – and often official – holidays in Latin American and island countries. All are welcome at these events that we hope will further understanding of our neighbors, of all beliefs and non-beliefs, both those still living in Latin America and the islands, and those who have brought their cultures to South Florida. Contact the parish office for updated information.

2025

Monday, September 8
Virgen de la Caridad
Location: Iglesia Madre
The September 8 feast of Our Lady of Charity, the Patroness of Cuba, developed from early 17th century events surrounding a statue that is now in the National Sanctuary in El Cobre. La Virgen de la Caridad was proclaimed the Patroness of Cuba in 1916. Our celebrations coordinate with those at the Ermita de la Caridad in Miami.

Thursday, September 11
Virgen de Coromoto
Location: Iglesia Madre
The customs regarding the September 11 feast day (and current related Venezuelan bank holiday) began in the mid-17th century; The Virgen was named Patroness of Venezuela in 1942; today we celebrate with traditional food and customs.

Sunday, October 4
Blessing of the Animals
Location: Mision de San Francisco y Santa Clara
This tradition, related to the Italian Saint Francis of Assisi’s love of nature, is celebrated on the Saturday nearest his October 4 feast day. All persons are invited to bring their pets (on leash, in cage) for a ceremony and individual blessings by the priests of the parish.

Sunday, October 19
Senor de los Milagros (Peru)
Location: Iglesia Madre
The October 18 Lord of Miracles Procession in Lima is one of the largest Catholic gatherings in the world. A Colonial painting of the Senor, from the same period and geographic area as the “miracle” painting in Lima, now hangs in the La Merced Chapel and Museum and is the focal point of the festivities on the grounds of the Chapel and the Mother Church.

Thursday, November 20 – Sunday, November 23
Corpus Christi Festival
Location: on the grounds of Iglesia Madre
Celebration of all the people and cultures at the Corpus Christi parish, with rides, games, outdoor entertainment, and homemade foods representing many of the countries and customs of parish families.

Sunday, December 7
Griteria/La Purísima
Location: Iglesia Madre
This is Corpus Christi’s adaptation of Nicaragua’s unique multi-day Festival of the Immaculate Conception. For several hours, traditionally dressed members of the Nicaraguan community share dancing, singing, and homemade foods in the grassy area outside of the parish hall.

2026

Sunday, January 11
Festival de Senor de Esquipulas
Location: Iglesia Madre
Celebrating the 425-year tradition of El Cristo Negro, based at the Catedral Basilica del Cristo Negro de Esquipulas in Guatemala, celebrated on Sunday near the January 12 feastday.

Wednesday, January 21
Festival de la Dia de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia
Location: Mision de la Altagracia
Based on a 16th century story of a shepherd’s vision of the Virgin Mary, this Dominican Republic national holiday is celebrated on January 21 at the Basilica Catedral Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia in Higuey, home of the original painting brought from Spain in 1502.

Sunday, February 1
Fiesta de la Virgen de Suyapa
Location: Iglesia Madre
Mirroring the 250+ year tradition, centered on the Patroness of Honduras whose name day is February 3; the tiny statue of La Morenita is kept in an 18th century chapel adjacent to the 20th Century Basilica of the Virgen de Suyapa near Tegucigalpa

Good Friday, April 3
Semana Santa
Location: Begins at Iglesia Madre, continues through neighborhood streets with police escort
The Semana Santa procession is based on the weeklong celebrations in Seville and throughout the Latin world, with La Macarena music, a Cruz de Guia, at least two Pasos (floats) carried by costaleros – and a huge alfombra (carpet of flowers) made by the Guatelmalan community. This is one of only a handful of such events in the United States.

First weekend in August
Salvador del Mundo Festivities
Location: Iglesia Madre
The parish joins with the El Salvadoran community to emulate the “Patron Saint” and namesake festivities traditionally celebrated during the first week of August at the Catedral and the Basilica in San Salvador.

First weekend in August
Festival Boliviano: Bolivian Independence Celebration
Location: Iglesia Madre
The August 5 national holiday in Bolivia is celebrated with a special mass in the main church followed by traditional Bolivian foods made by the Bolivian members of the parish.

July
La Milagrosa
Location: Iglesia Madre
This mini-festival incorporates the spirit of the Novena of the Miraculous Medal, a devotion that originated in Paris, France and now is celebrated every November in Cebu City, the Philippines.

First weekend in August
Salvador del Mundo Festivities
Location: Iglesia Madre
The parish joins with the El Salvador community to emulate the “Patron Saint” and namesake festivities traditionally celebrated during the first week of August at the Catedral and the Basilica in San Salvador.