Justo Gallego Martínez, Who Builds a Cathedral Out Of Nothing
88-year-old Justo Gallego Martínez literally lives at a construction site. He is single-handedly building his own cathedral. Without any drawings, plans, architects or engineers, investments or support from the official church — he has been doing that for almost fifty years. Despite all these restraints, the cathedral is turning out large and beautiful, and Martinez himself is very happy.
Don Justo’s cathedral is located twenty kilometres from Madrid, in a small town called Mejorada del Campo. The work is far from completion, but even now it is a huge building with a 40-metre dome, towers, a cloister and a courtyard. It is really hard to believe that this leviathan was built by one man alone. What is he like, this man?
Justo Gallego Martínez never studied architecture or civil engineering. Actually, he did not study much of anything — his education ended with the beginning of the civil war in Spain, that is, in 1936, when he was 11. That is why he constructs his cathedral without any plans or blueprints and takes his ideas from the drawings of medieval religious buildings. “Everything here”, he points at the pillars and the arches, “is in my head.”
He first got the idea of building his own cathedral after he had been thrown out from a monastery. He was a young novice then, who was preparing himself for monastic vows and dreamt of dedicating his life to God. However, God sent him tuberculosis, which, at the time, was considered very contagious and incurable. He had to leave the monastery, but still wanted to dedicate his life to God’s service. The former novice returned to his hometown. He inherited a piece of land on the outskirts of Mejorada del Campo. This land gave him the idea of his own cathedral.
How can you build a huge cathedral without any money? Justo Gallego Martínez sold or leased out some of his property. On the remaining land, he began erecting a building, using literally anything he could find. It was mainly garbage and waste. He gathered bricks at a brick yard’s dump site, where they stored faulty products. He used empty gasoline cans as the foundation of the pillars. He put to work wires, pieces of iron reinforcements and even old cardboard boxes. In the end of the day, don Justo chose a vocation more difficult than a monk’s: for several decades he has been living inside the cathedral under construction. Every day he wakes up at 3.30 am and works all day. Sometimes his nephews help him with assembly works, but 90% of the cathedral has been built by don Justo alone.
The main gate to the cathedral is open from morning till night, and everybody is welcome to enter. Justo Gallego Martínez doesn’t charge any admission fee, but there is a donation box, and many visitors are happy to donate.
88-year-old Justo Gallego Martínez has still a lot to do. Almost none of the cathedral premises are finished, but the general view is absolutely stunning. The cathedral in Mejorada del Campo has become don Justo’s own private monastery, his own private Church, his own private world, where he simultaneously acts as a senior priest, a bishop, and the Creator. When you ask a very serious don Justo what exactly he feels every day when he sees the result of his efforts, his expression changes instantly. He starts to laugh joyously and replies: “Happiness, of course! Tremendous happiness!”
Justo Gallego Martínez’ Happiness Rules
1. If I had one more lifetime, I would still spend it on building my cathedral.
2. When I look at my creation, I feel enormous gratitude to God.
3. With faith you can work wonders.
4. I am happy, but I am not proud, and this is important.
5. The main rule is to do your work with love.
