What is a trip to Latin America without going to churches? You just cannot do it.
In Mexico City there were two church sites we had to visit. The first was Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary Into Heaven. They just call it the Metropolitan Cathedral. I understand why.
There were several facts about this Cathedral that make it special. The first deals with the tradition of Black Jesus/Cristos Negros of the area. There are several countries that have wooden Jesus sculptures on a cross that have darkened and turned black over the ages. The one in Mexico City has a story. Supposedly the bishop always prayed at the crucifix as he entered the cathedral. There were those who wished him to die. So they put poison on the feet of the wooden Jesus, knowing that the bishop would kiss the feet when he was done praying.
The bishop did as he always does, and kissed the feet, but he did not die. Instead, the Jesus sculpture turned black.
To be honest this is not my first Cristo Negro, or Black Christ/Jesus. I have been to Portobelo, Panama, and saw the one in the Inglesia de San Felipe. It is special because it was found in the town’s harbor and it wears a robe! I have also seen the black Madonna in Montserrat, also known as Our Lady of Montserrat. Many go on pilgrimages to see these statues. For me they have been a happy surprise. (See blogs below.)
This is not the only special site within the cathedral. There is also magnificent altar and intricately carved wooden sculpture behind it. Outside, in front of the cathedral, there is a statue of Pope John Paul with an image of the Lady of Guadalupe carved into his robes. This foreshadows the second religious site we visited.
But the most obvious and unusual aspect of the building is that it is sinking. Completed in the mid 1600s, the cathedral was built on land that was once the bottom of a giant lake. It was also built in the area where the Aztec’s had their temples. In fact, the stones used in the construction of the church were parts of the dismantled Aztec temple. The cathedral was built upon the ruins. One way of saying to the Aztec, we beat you. But not so great centuries later.
Around the cathedral you can see the excavations of the Aztec sites. A model of what the plaza area looked like when the Spanish first came is near the excavations.
Within the church, you can see how they have worked to stabilize it. Marble stone stairs, now sit on a bed of concrete stairs. A pendulum hangs from the high ceiling and shows if the building is still standing straight or sinking again. By the lines on the floor, one can see how tilted it once was, and how close to straight it stands now.
Our second religious site was the Basilica of the Lady of Guadalupe. This site is also sinking, and many of the buildings, the older basilica, the first church and the convent, were also tilting. They have been stabilized. But you can see that much work still needs to be done. The newer, larger, round Basilica built in the 1970s seems fine for now.
The Basilica and all the other buildings on the site, including the original basilica from the early 1700s were constructed to honor Saint Juan Diego and his visions and miracles of the Lady of Guadalupe. Sometime around 1530 a picture of the Lady of Guadalupe/Mary appeared on his cloak, which he said was a signal that the indigenous people should convert to Catholicism. There have been visitors/pilgrims to this site ever since. And many buildings have been constructed to provide a place for them to pray.
Today the new Basilica houses the image. Encased in two frames, one silver and one gold, it is mounted on the wall near one entrance of the Basilica. You must get on a short moving walkway to see it, which keeps everyone moving forward and no one can stay in front of it for too long. The Basilica is constantly being used by the people for Mass. Each hour a new Mass begins.
There is a large open plaza on one side of the Basilica. It is here that Pope John Paul came to dedicate the site. A statue to him stands between the old and new basilicas. He also came here a second time to canonize Juan Diego.
We could not enter all the buildings. But I will admit my favorite was the one that covers the well. It was a lovely little building. And each of the windows was in the shape of a six-pointed star. For my Jewish mind it was perfect. Miriam, the sister of Moses, was known for her affinity for water. When they were in the desert, water followed Miriam. So to know that here at the site of the visions of the Lady of Guadalupe/Mary/Miriam, there is a well with a temple with six-pointed stars, gave me a little joy.
My second favorite building was a small church that is still standing, but only with the help of metal beams. In front of it was a small water way, with no water right now, except for a bowl of water that a mama cat was enjoying while her kitten struggled to reach it.
It is quite a site, much larger than I anticipated. To be honest, I did not want to go. We had spent the morning visiting the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, and I was both exhausted and not feeling well. But our guide insisted that we had to see it. As it was on our way back to the hotel, I figured I would say yes, but could always back out.
That did not happen. I was hot, tired and feeling ill. But I got out of the van and walked the many steps to the entrance of the site. And then for over an hour walked the grounds and through the buildings to see all that I could. I was amazed that I started to feel better as we walked. It was so interesting that I forgot to think about not feeling well. So I have to commend our guide who insisted we visit.
zicharonot 