Cuernavaca Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary of Cuernavaca is the Roman Catholic cathedral
church of the Diocese of Cuernavaca
, located in the city of Cuernavaca
, Morelos
, Mexico
. The church and its surrounding monastery is one of the early 16th century monasteries in the vicinity of the Popocatepetl volcano
, built initially for evangelization efforts of indigenous people after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. By the 18th century, the church of the monastery began to function as the parish church of the city and in the late 19th century, it was elevated to the rank of a cathedral. Unlike many cathedrals in Mexico, this one does not face the city’s main square, but rather is located just to the south, in its own walled compound, which it shares with a number of other structures. Unlike the other monastery structures from its time, the importance of this church provoked a number of renovation projects, the last of which occurred in 1957. This one took out the remaining older decorations of the interior and replaced them with simple modern ones. This renovation work also uncovered a 17th century mural that covers 400 square metres (478.4 sq yd) of the interior walls and narrates the story of Philip of Jesus
and twenty three other missionaries who were crucified in Japan.
of Cuernavaca . This monastery was one of number of large fortress-style monasteries which were built in the early 16th century in what is now northern Morelos and far western Puebla
states, near the Popocatepetl
volcano. These monasteries were built to evangelize and subdue the indigenous populations shortly after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. These monasteries began the evangelization effort which would spread south towards Oaxaca
and Central America
then later throughout the colony of New Spain
. The organization of the Cuernavaca monastery was founded in 1525 by the first twelve Franciscans to arrive to the new Spanish colony, along with some newer arrivals. Among these were Antonio Maldonado, Antonio Ortiz, Alonso de Herrera and Diego de Almonte. The original purpose of the monastery organization was the evangelization of the local indigenous peoples, and later to house and train missionaries to other parts of New Spain. However, the main church and its walled atrium was originally off limits to all except the Spanish and indigenous nobles.
Building of the complex proper began in 1529 on land donated by Juana de Zúñiga de Cortés, Hernán Cortés
’s wife. It was the fifth construction in New Spain by the order and supervised by Toribio de Benavente Motolinia
. Like other monasteries of the time, it was built with large, tall, thick walls and with merlon
s in order to defend the new missionaries from still hostile native peoples. The monastery’s lands originally extended far beyond the current complex, and included large gardens and other lands used by the monks to produce food and other needed supplies.
The complex, including the church, was built in stages and modified starting from the 16th century. The year of 1532 is engraved in a monogram of the Virgin Mary at the north entrance, but it does not indicate the termination of this facade. It is most likely to have been finished by 1574. According to stories, a monk who died this year was accustomed to climbing onto the roof of the church to see how food reserves were, by checking crops drying on the roofs of indigenous homes. Visiting friar Alonso Ponce wrote in 1585 that the complex was finished and well constructed, and included the church, dormitory and gardens. This same monk notes the retirement and deaths of a number of older monks at the site. Most of the main church was finished by the late 17th century.
However only the outer shell of the main church, along with the ground floor arches of the cloister remain from the earliest construction, due to subsequent remodeling projects. Over its history, this complex, especially the main church, was remodeled several times because of its importance to the evangelization efforts as well as its later importance as a parish church then Cathedral. Of the fourteen early monastery complexes recognized by the World Heritage organization
, this is the only one which has experience large scale changes since it was built.
In the 17th century, modifications were made to the church, beginning with the construction of two chapels to give it the layout of a Latin cross. The choir area, side altars and other parts were probably added at this time as well. In 1713, a vault similar to a cupola with a “liternilla” and a bell tower on the southeast corner were added to the structure. Unless, previous work, which was austere, these were Baroque
with the usual intricate decoration associated with it. At the foot of the tower, there is a clock. This clock was constructed by a Franciscan father for the Segovia Cathedral
. In the 16th century, it was giving to Hernán Cortés by Charles V.
By the middle of the 18th century, interior modifications and additions made it heavily decorated with all types of religious art, including those made of silver and other costly materials. This was also the time that the main church of the monastery began to function as the parish church for the city of Cuernavaca.
The buildings and grounds of the monastery/parish remained the same until the latter 19th century, when the Reform Laws
closed down and expropriated many monasteries and convents in Mexico. The La Asuncion de Maria monastery was closed and lost most of its lands and many of its buildings, leaving what remains to this day. One of the buildings formerly part of the complex is now the Robert Brady Museum. In 1882, an earthquake toppled the upper part of the tower. Reconstruction was ordered by Father Vicente Salinas y Riveras and supervised by José Gonzaléz Belauzaran.
In 1891, Pope Leon XIII established the Diocese of Cuernavaca
, to administer over the territory of Morelos, converting the Parish of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción to the Cathedral of Cuernavaca. The first bishop was Fortino Hipólito Vera. In the early 20th century, part of the complex was taken over by Carranza
-allied General Pablo González Garza
to use as a headquarters during the Mexican Revolution
.
By the middle of the 20th century, the church still had some of the its former rich decor, including a gilded Churrigueresque
main altar, along with two side altars with columns and capital
s, along with wood sculpture of the Virgin Mary. One of these capitols is important as it relates to where the celebration of the first mass in Cuernavaca. However, in 1957 the Cathedral underwent another major remodeling by federal government. Some of the work consisted of restoring elements to their original condition. This included the cloister’s cells, refectory, library and corridors. Some Baroque elements were added to the bell tower. But the major changes were made in the interior of the main church. The outer layers of plaster were removed, exposing mural work from the 18th century, which covers almost all of the walls of the main nave
. This work tells the story of the martyrdom of Phillip of Jesus and other missionaries who were crucified in Nagasaki
. The Churringueresque altars and other older elements were mostly taken out and replaced with simple modern elements, especially in the main altar area. The older decorative items were place in a pinacotheca
on the premises but are not available to the public.
The cathedral complex became part of the Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
World Heritage Site
in 1994.
into the shape of an L. This overall layout is the same as it was when it was originally built, although it is somewhat smaller due to subsequent construction. The overall form of this, which used to be only the inner sanctum of the monastery and its lands, was purposefully built away from the population center to give a sense of isolation to both the monks and those visiting. The atrium once functioned as a cemetery, but today it has trees and paths that connect the various elements. Near the center of the atrium is a stone cross on a base, which was probably created before the earliest of the compounds structures. The base is a square prism measuring 1.70 by 1.70 meters. According to some scholars, this is equivalent to a “cuauhxicalli
” or stone used for human sacrifice. The use of this as the base was meant to show the triumph of Christianity over native beliefs. The cross proper is made of a single piece of sandstone. The atrium also contains a monument to the memory of “certain Spaniards who were murdered.”
On the west side of the complex, on the south side of both the Cathedral itself and its attached cloister is the open chapel. This was one of the very first constructions of the Spanish built after Hernán Cortés
choose Cuernavaca as a seat over his dominions. The chapel was originally bigger than what remains today. The open chapel here was used not only for Mass, but also for plays, music dance and other events designed to explain and reinforce the faith. The roof of the open chapel is supported by large arches and serves as a portico to the cloister. The cloister today is used as office for the bisphoric. It was restored to its former look in the 20th century, with two levels surrounding a central courtyard. The levels have corridors marked off by arches. This cloister retains a number of frescos, some of which depict New Spain missionaries in the Philippines
and Japan
.
The main church has a plain facade with the only element with ornate decoration is the bell tower with also contains a clock. Just inside the main portal, there is a bronze statue of Jesus carrying a cross, a lamb and a book. Just beyond this is a very large stone baptismal font. Inside, the decoration is stark and mostly modern, especially in the main altar area. An equilateral cross with an image of Christ is suspended over the altar area and there are small modern crosses and other elements on the side walls. However, the most important decorative element is an 18th century narrative mural. This mural was uncovered during the renovation work in the mid 20th century. The mural covers 400 m² of both side walls of the main nave of the church and tells the story of the arrival and martyrdom of Philip of Jesus and other missionaries in Japan
. The mural was probably painted in the middle of the 17th century after the Franciscan missionaries were beatified in 1627. The mural was painted al fresco
in a primitive style. Little is known about who painted it or the socio-political context behind its creation. One scholar by the name of Luis Islas Garcia, believes that the artist was a native of Asia who resided in the monastery, assisted by local indigenous people. However, Father Diego Yuki of a museum dedicated to the martyrs in Nagasaki believes that the mural as a purely local work. Phillip of Jesus was beatified in 1627, and canonized in 1629. As the first Mexican saint, as well as a Franciscan, his story would have importance at this establishment. He would have relevance through the colonial period as a symbol of Criollo
identity in Mexico. However, this mural was covered over in the 19th century and its existence was forgotten. The work was rediscovered in the 20th century by architect Ricardo Robina when the cathedral was remodeled.
The story of the mural begins with Pope Innocence II blessing the 23 missionaries, who later arrived to Japan from the Philippines
. There scenes of the twenty three; 16 Japanese and five Spaniards performing missionary work in Kyoto
. Then it shows the group in caged carts accompanied by soldiers as they are taken to Nagasaki. The 24th martyr is Phillip of Jesus, who was shipwrecked in Japan. The emperor of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, offered to spare his life as he had not preached Christianity, but Philip refused and was crucified with the others. For this, he would be canonized as a saint. One legend says that on the day of his death, a fig tree in family’s orchards in Mexico came back to life.
The complex also contains pinacotheca
or art storage room with archeological pieces as well as paintings and other artworks from the 16th to the 19th centuries. This collection is the result of a number of people but it is considered to have been begun by Francisco Plancarte y Navarrete, the second bishop of Cuernavaca. His personal collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts and rare examples of religious art became part of a historical museum house in two rooms of the Episcopal Palace. Later more religious objects, tapestries and more were added up to the present day. By 1987, this collection was stored in less-than-optimal conditions at the Cathedral complex. Efforts by Juan Dubernard Chavenau, a textile manufacturer and others such as a Mexican project called “Adopt a Work of Art” eventually convinced the INAH to build more suitable facilities at the complex. It also worked to completely restore the 58 religious paintings in the collection. One series of paintings of particular importance is called the Apostolado... twelve paintings depicting each of the Apostle
s. This group is one of only three of its kind in Mexico. Other paintings include Ia "Estigmatización de San Francisco de Asís" from the 16th century, a relief which is probably from the original main altar of the church which depicts Saint Francis
kneeling receiving the stigmata
. Others include "La natividad de Ia Virgen María" and “San Francisco Javier” from the 17th century, “La última cena” from the 18th century and "Jesús calma Ia tormenta" by Rafael Flores in the 19th century.
(open chapel) which is dedicated to Saint Joseph
. This structure is one of many built in Mexico in the first half of the 16th century in monasteries, and were usually meant for the saying of mass
and other religious activities associated with the mass conversion of the native population at that time. It is possible that Hernán Cortés had this particular chapel built during the time he lived in Cuernavaca. To construct it, native workers were conscripted from a number of villages around Cuernavaca including de Tletlama, Cuentepec, Miacatla, Temixco, San Francisco Coatlán, Mazatepec, San Miguel Coatlán, Cuauchichinola, Huajitlán, Panchimalco, Tlatenchi, Huitzila, Coajomulco, Ocotepec, Temilpa, Santa María Ahuecatitla, Tetela y Tlaltenango. Unlike many other capillas, this one is a parallel with the axis of the church instead of perpendicular. There are no precedents for this layout either in Mexico or Spain. It is also the portico
of the cloister area, the first of its kind in Mexico. It was built this way so that it would back the walled atrium area. The capilla was damaged in the earthquake of 1882. It appears that repairs at this time replaced the original crest. In the interior of the capilla, over the portal of the cloister there is a mural of the "Spiritual lineage of Saint Francis of Assisi". It represents the life of the founder of the Franciscan order than the saints that it produced. This mural is deteriorated. Today, the open chapel is frequently used for weddings.
The next most important chapel in the complex is the Tercera Orden Chapel (Capilla de la Tercera Orden), built the northwest corner of the complex in 1722 by Enrique de Jeres, a Franciscan monk. It would later have a seminary installed in one of its annexes by the first bishop of Cuernavaca, which would become one of the most important educational institutions in the city in the 19th century. This chapel was constructed in a style called popular Baroque along with Churringuersque. The facade has sculptures of angels and saints, some with indigenous headdresses. The bell tower has two levels but it is not tall. The portal on the south side is topped with a seashell formation. Inside, it has a Latin cross layout with one name, divided into an upper choir, nave and apse. The main altar is Baroque, profusely decorated with colorful flowers, angel and saints. This altar was constructed by indigenous craftsmen.
The other two large chapels on the site are the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Chapel and the Santa Cruz Chapel. The first is one of the oldest structures in the compound, constructed before the main church. The Santa Cruz Chapel in Neogothic style, and honors the Our Lady of Mount Carmel
.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
church of the Diocese of Cuernavaca
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuernavaca
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuernavaca is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of México. Its seat is in the Cuernavaca Cathedral.-Ordinaries:*Fortino Hipólito Vera y Talonia...
, located in the city of Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
, Morelos
Morelos
Morelos officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 33 municipalities and its capital city is Cuernavaca....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The church and its surrounding monastery is one of the early 16th century monasteries in the vicinity of the Popocatepetl volcano
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site are fourteen 16th century monasteries which were built by the Augustinians, the Franciscans and the Dominicans in order to evangelize the areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico...
, built initially for evangelization efforts of indigenous people after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. By the 18th century, the church of the monastery began to function as the parish church of the city and in the late 19th century, it was elevated to the rank of a cathedral. Unlike many cathedrals in Mexico, this one does not face the city’s main square, but rather is located just to the south, in its own walled compound, which it shares with a number of other structures. Unlike the other monastery structures from its time, the importance of this church provoked a number of renovation projects, the last of which occurred in 1957. This one took out the remaining older decorations of the interior and replaced them with simple modern ones. This renovation work also uncovered a 17th century mural that covers 400 square metres (478.4 sq yd) of the interior walls and narrates the story of Philip of Jesus
Philip of Jesus
Saint Philip of Jesus was a Mexican Catholic missionary who became one of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan, the first Mexican saint and patron saint of Mexico City....
and twenty three other missionaries who were crucified in Japan.
History
The church was part of the monastery of the Assumption of MaryAssumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
of Cuernavaca . This monastery was one of number of large fortress-style monasteries which were built in the early 16th century in what is now northern Morelos and far western Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
states, near the Popocatepetl
Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at , the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba...
volcano. These monasteries were built to evangelize and subdue the indigenous populations shortly after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. These monasteries began the evangelization effort which would spread south towards Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
then later throughout the colony of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
. The organization of the Cuernavaca monastery was founded in 1525 by the first twelve Franciscans to arrive to the new Spanish colony, along with some newer arrivals. Among these were Antonio Maldonado, Antonio Ortiz, Alonso de Herrera and Diego de Almonte. The original purpose of the monastery organization was the evangelization of the local indigenous peoples, and later to house and train missionaries to other parts of New Spain. However, the main church and its walled atrium was originally off limits to all except the Spanish and indigenous nobles.
Building of the complex proper began in 1529 on land donated by Juana de Zúñiga de Cortés, Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
’s wife. It was the fifth construction in New Spain by the order and supervised by Toribio de Benavente Motolinia
Toribio de Benavente Motolinia
Fray Toribio de Benavente also known as Motolinia was a Franciscan missionary and among the first 12 clerics to arrive in New Spain in May 1524.-Life and times:...
. Like other monasteries of the time, it was built with large, tall, thick walls and with merlon
Merlon
In architecture, a merlon forms the solid part of an embattled parapet, sometimes pierced by embrasures. The space between two merlons is usually called a crenel, although those later designed and used for cannons were called embrasures.-Etymology:...
s in order to defend the new missionaries from still hostile native peoples. The monastery’s lands originally extended far beyond the current complex, and included large gardens and other lands used by the monks to produce food and other needed supplies.
The complex, including the church, was built in stages and modified starting from the 16th century. The year of 1532 is engraved in a monogram of the Virgin Mary at the north entrance, but it does not indicate the termination of this facade. It is most likely to have been finished by 1574. According to stories, a monk who died this year was accustomed to climbing onto the roof of the church to see how food reserves were, by checking crops drying on the roofs of indigenous homes. Visiting friar Alonso Ponce wrote in 1585 that the complex was finished and well constructed, and included the church, dormitory and gardens. This same monk notes the retirement and deaths of a number of older monks at the site. Most of the main church was finished by the late 17th century.
However only the outer shell of the main church, along with the ground floor arches of the cloister remain from the earliest construction, due to subsequent remodeling projects. Over its history, this complex, especially the main church, was remodeled several times because of its importance to the evangelization efforts as well as its later importance as a parish church then Cathedral. Of the fourteen early monastery complexes recognized by the World Heritage organization
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, this is the only one which has experience large scale changes since it was built.
In the 17th century, modifications were made to the church, beginning with the construction of two chapels to give it the layout of a Latin cross. The choir area, side altars and other parts were probably added at this time as well. In 1713, a vault similar to a cupola with a “liternilla” and a bell tower on the southeast corner were added to the structure. Unless, previous work, which was austere, these were Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
with the usual intricate decoration associated with it. At the foot of the tower, there is a clock. This clock was constructed by a Franciscan father for the Segovia Cathedral
Segovia Cathedral
Segovia Cathedral is a Roman Catholic religious building in Segovia, Spain. It is located in the main square of the city, the Plaza Mayor, and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary....
. In the 16th century, it was giving to Hernán Cortés by Charles V.
By the middle of the 18th century, interior modifications and additions made it heavily decorated with all types of religious art, including those made of silver and other costly materials. This was also the time that the main church of the monastery began to function as the parish church for the city of Cuernavaca.
The buildings and grounds of the monastery/parish remained the same until the latter 19th century, when the Reform Laws
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
closed down and expropriated many monasteries and convents in Mexico. The La Asuncion de Maria monastery was closed and lost most of its lands and many of its buildings, leaving what remains to this day. One of the buildings formerly part of the complex is now the Robert Brady Museum. In 1882, an earthquake toppled the upper part of the tower. Reconstruction was ordered by Father Vicente Salinas y Riveras and supervised by José Gonzaléz Belauzaran.
In 1891, Pope Leon XIII established the Diocese of Cuernavaca
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuernavaca
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuernavaca is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of México. Its seat is in the Cuernavaca Cathedral.-Ordinaries:*Fortino Hipólito Vera y Talonia...
, to administer over the territory of Morelos, converting the Parish of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción to the Cathedral of Cuernavaca. The first bishop was Fortino Hipólito Vera. In the early 20th century, part of the complex was taken over by Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
-allied General Pablo González Garza
Pablo González Garza
Pablo González Garza was a Mexican General during the Mexican Revolution. He is considered to be the main organizer of the assassination of Emiliano Zapata....
to use as a headquarters during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
.
By the middle of the 20th century, the church still had some of the its former rich decor, including a gilded Churrigueresque
Churrigueresque
Churrigueresque refers to a Spanish Baroque style of elaborate sculptural architectural ornament which emerged as a manner of stucco decoration in Spain in the late 17th century and was used up to about 1750, marked by extreme, expressive and florid decorative detailing, normally found above the...
main altar, along with two side altars with columns and capital
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
s, along with wood sculpture of the Virgin Mary. One of these capitols is important as it relates to where the celebration of the first mass in Cuernavaca. However, in 1957 the Cathedral underwent another major remodeling by federal government. Some of the work consisted of restoring elements to their original condition. This included the cloister’s cells, refectory, library and corridors. Some Baroque elements were added to the bell tower. But the major changes were made in the interior of the main church. The outer layers of plaster were removed, exposing mural work from the 18th century, which covers almost all of the walls of the main nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
. This work tells the story of the martyrdom of Phillip of Jesus and other missionaries who were crucified in Nagasaki
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
. The Churringueresque altars and other older elements were mostly taken out and replaced with simple modern elements, especially in the main altar area. The older decorative items were place in a pinacotheca
Pinacotheca
A pinacotheca was a picture gallery in either ancient Greece or ancient Rome. The name is specifically used for the building containing pictures which formed the left wing of the Propylaea on the Acropolis at Athens, Greece. Though Pausanias A pinacotheca was a picture gallery in either ancient...
on the premises but are not available to the public.
The cathedral complex became part of the Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site are fourteen 16th century monasteries which were built by the Augustinians, the Franciscans and the Dominicans in order to evangelize the areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1994.
Description
The cathedral complex is located in the historical center of the city of Cuernavaca, but unlike other Mexican cities, this most-important church is not on the main plaza but instead just south of it on the corner of Hidalgo and Morelos Streets. The complex consists of a walled compound with the main church, the cloister and several chapels/small churches. The main church and cloister are in the northeast part of the compound, with the other churches/chapels on the sides or corners. This forms the rest of the area or atriumAtrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
into the shape of an L. This overall layout is the same as it was when it was originally built, although it is somewhat smaller due to subsequent construction. The overall form of this, which used to be only the inner sanctum of the monastery and its lands, was purposefully built away from the population center to give a sense of isolation to both the monks and those visiting. The atrium once functioned as a cemetery, but today it has trees and paths that connect the various elements. Near the center of the atrium is a stone cross on a base, which was probably created before the earliest of the compounds structures. The base is a square prism measuring 1.70 by 1.70 meters. According to some scholars, this is equivalent to a “cuauhxicalli
Cuauhxicalli
A cuauhxicalli or quauhxicalli was an altar-like stone vessel used by the Aztecs to contain human hearts extracted in sacrificial ceremonies. A cuahxicalli would often be decorated with animal motifs, commonly eagles or jaguars. Another kind of cuauhxicalli is the Chacmool-type which is shaped as...
” or stone used for human sacrifice. The use of this as the base was meant to show the triumph of Christianity over native beliefs. The cross proper is made of a single piece of sandstone. The atrium also contains a monument to the memory of “certain Spaniards who were murdered.”
On the west side of the complex, on the south side of both the Cathedral itself and its attached cloister is the open chapel. This was one of the very first constructions of the Spanish built after Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
choose Cuernavaca as a seat over his dominions. The chapel was originally bigger than what remains today. The open chapel here was used not only for Mass, but also for plays, music dance and other events designed to explain and reinforce the faith. The roof of the open chapel is supported by large arches and serves as a portico to the cloister. The cloister today is used as office for the bisphoric. It was restored to its former look in the 20th century, with two levels surrounding a central courtyard. The levels have corridors marked off by arches. This cloister retains a number of frescos, some of which depict New Spain missionaries in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The main church has a plain facade with the only element with ornate decoration is the bell tower with also contains a clock. Just inside the main portal, there is a bronze statue of Jesus carrying a cross, a lamb and a book. Just beyond this is a very large stone baptismal font. Inside, the decoration is stark and mostly modern, especially in the main altar area. An equilateral cross with an image of Christ is suspended over the altar area and there are small modern crosses and other elements on the side walls. However, the most important decorative element is an 18th century narrative mural. This mural was uncovered during the renovation work in the mid 20th century. The mural covers 400 m² of both side walls of the main nave of the church and tells the story of the arrival and martyrdom of Philip of Jesus and other missionaries in Japan
Martyrs of Japan
The refers to a group of Christians who were executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597 at Nagasaki. Their martyrdom is especially significant in the history of Roman Catholicism in Japan....
. The mural was probably painted in the middle of the 17th century after the Franciscan missionaries were beatified in 1627. The mural was painted al fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
in a primitive style. Little is known about who painted it or the socio-political context behind its creation. One scholar by the name of Luis Islas Garcia, believes that the artist was a native of Asia who resided in the monastery, assisted by local indigenous people. However, Father Diego Yuki of a museum dedicated to the martyrs in Nagasaki believes that the mural as a purely local work. Phillip of Jesus was beatified in 1627, and canonized in 1629. As the first Mexican saint, as well as a Franciscan, his story would have importance at this establishment. He would have relevance through the colonial period as a symbol of Criollo
Criollo people
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
identity in Mexico. However, this mural was covered over in the 19th century and its existence was forgotten. The work was rediscovered in the 20th century by architect Ricardo Robina when the cathedral was remodeled.
The story of the mural begins with Pope Innocence II blessing the 23 missionaries, who later arrived to Japan from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. There scenes of the twenty three; 16 Japanese and five Spaniards performing missionary work in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. Then it shows the group in caged carts accompanied by soldiers as they are taken to Nagasaki. The 24th martyr is Phillip of Jesus, who was shipwrecked in Japan. The emperor of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, offered to spare his life as he had not preached Christianity, but Philip refused and was crucified with the others. For this, he would be canonized as a saint. One legend says that on the day of his death, a fig tree in family’s orchards in Mexico came back to life.
The complex also contains pinacotheca
Pinacotheca
A pinacotheca was a picture gallery in either ancient Greece or ancient Rome. The name is specifically used for the building containing pictures which formed the left wing of the Propylaea on the Acropolis at Athens, Greece. Though Pausanias A pinacotheca was a picture gallery in either ancient...
or art storage room with archeological pieces as well as paintings and other artworks from the 16th to the 19th centuries. This collection is the result of a number of people but it is considered to have been begun by Francisco Plancarte y Navarrete, the second bishop of Cuernavaca. His personal collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts and rare examples of religious art became part of a historical museum house in two rooms of the Episcopal Palace. Later more religious objects, tapestries and more were added up to the present day. By 1987, this collection was stored in less-than-optimal conditions at the Cathedral complex. Efforts by Juan Dubernard Chavenau, a textile manufacturer and others such as a Mexican project called “Adopt a Work of Art” eventually convinced the INAH to build more suitable facilities at the complex. It also worked to completely restore the 58 religious paintings in the collection. One series of paintings of particular importance is called the Apostolado... twelve paintings depicting each of the Apostle
Apostle (Christian)
The term apostle is derived from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος , meaning one who is sent away, from στέλλω + από . The literal meaning in English is therefore an "emissary", from the Latin mitto + ex...
s. This group is one of only three of its kind in Mexico. Other paintings include Ia "Estigmatización de San Francisco de Asís" from the 16th century, a relief which is probably from the original main altar of the church which depicts Saint Francis
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
kneeling receiving the stigmata
Stigmata
Stigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
. Others include "La natividad de Ia Virgen María" and “San Francisco Javier” from the 17th century, “La última cena” from the 18th century and "Jesús calma Ia tormenta" by Rafael Flores in the 19th century.
The chapels
The most important of the other chapels in the complex is the capilla abiertaCapilla abierta
A capilla abierta or “open chapel” is considered to be one of the most distinct Mexican construction forms. Mostly built in the 16th century during the early colonial period, the construction was basically an apse or open presbytery, containing an altar, which opened onto a large atrium or plaza...
(open chapel) which is dedicated to Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
. This structure is one of many built in Mexico in the first half of the 16th century in monasteries, and were usually meant for the saying of mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
and other religious activities associated with the mass conversion of the native population at that time. It is possible that Hernán Cortés had this particular chapel built during the time he lived in Cuernavaca. To construct it, native workers were conscripted from a number of villages around Cuernavaca including de Tletlama, Cuentepec, Miacatla, Temixco, San Francisco Coatlán, Mazatepec, San Miguel Coatlán, Cuauchichinola, Huajitlán, Panchimalco, Tlatenchi, Huitzila, Coajomulco, Ocotepec, Temilpa, Santa María Ahuecatitla, Tetela y Tlaltenango. Unlike many other capillas, this one is a parallel with the axis of the church instead of perpendicular. There are no precedents for this layout either in Mexico or Spain. It is also the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
of the cloister area, the first of its kind in Mexico. It was built this way so that it would back the walled atrium area. The capilla was damaged in the earthquake of 1882. It appears that repairs at this time replaced the original crest. In the interior of the capilla, over the portal of the cloister there is a mural of the "Spiritual lineage of Saint Francis of Assisi". It represents the life of the founder of the Franciscan order than the saints that it produced. This mural is deteriorated. Today, the open chapel is frequently used for weddings.
The next most important chapel in the complex is the Tercera Orden Chapel (Capilla de la Tercera Orden), built the northwest corner of the complex in 1722 by Enrique de Jeres, a Franciscan monk. It would later have a seminary installed in one of its annexes by the first bishop of Cuernavaca, which would become one of the most important educational institutions in the city in the 19th century. This chapel was constructed in a style called popular Baroque along with Churringuersque. The facade has sculptures of angels and saints, some with indigenous headdresses. The bell tower has two levels but it is not tall. The portal on the south side is topped with a seashell formation. Inside, it has a Latin cross layout with one name, divided into an upper choir, nave and apse. The main altar is Baroque, profusely decorated with colorful flowers, angel and saints. This altar was constructed by indigenous craftsmen.
The other two large chapels on the site are the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Chapel and the Santa Cruz Chapel. The first is one of the oldest structures in the compound, constructed before the main church. The Santa Cruz Chapel in Neogothic style, and honors the Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
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