La Enseñanza Church
Encyclopedia
La Enseñanza Church is located on 104 Donceles Street in the historic center of Mexico City
. It has been argued that the Mexican Churrigueresque
style of this church, especially that of its altarpiece
s, represents the pinnacle of the Baroque period in Mexico, as this style soon gave way to the Neoclassic
after this church was built. The church’s official name is Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Church of Our Lady of the Pillar). The former convent was called El Convento de la Enseñanza La Antigua (The Old Convent of the Teaching), from which is derived the church’s popular name. After the Reform War
, the convent was disbanded and the complex had various uses but the church has returned to is originally-intended function.
. Mother Maria Ignacia was from a wealthy Creole
family that had established itself in Chihuahua. She entered the order of the Company of Mary Our Lady in Spain, where she obtained permission to found a convent and school for young girls.She bought two houses on what is now Donceles Street (then Calle de Cordobanes), just north of the main cathedral of Mexico City. In the parking area of the two houses, she began to build the church. This small space would determine the unusual design and dimensions of the building. With Francisco Antonio Guerrero y Torres as the architect, the church was built between 1772 and 1778.
The church was consecrated with Our Lady of the Pillar and Saint John of Nepomuk
as patrons by Archbishop of Mexico Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta
in 1778. The relics used to consecrate the church included a fingerbone from latter saint, a 25 cm gold statue of him, as well as a shroud that had come in contact with the Shroud of Turin
. A wooden statue of the Our Lady of the Pillar, which was inherited by Mother Maria Ignacia from her own mother, was placed on the main altar.
The name La Enseñanza comes from one of the convent’s main missions, which was to educate young girls. Over time, the convent school gained status until the most-privileged of New Spain
’s families sent their daughters there. However, it also taught girls from humbler families, esp. in needlework.
When Mother Maria Ignacia died in 1767, she was interred in the communion altar of the church. After the Reform War in 1867, the convent was closed and initially converted into a prison. Later, the convent was used to house the Palace of Justice, the General Notary Archive and the offices of the Ministry of Education. The church building was declared a national monument
on 9 February 1931. The church building was refurbished between 1963 and 1969, reopening to worship in 1974. Since 1984, this church has been in the custody of Order of the Missionaries of the Eucharist of Nazareth who give services and maintain the building.
Above these four thick columns are four more slender columns decorated with geometric figures and zig-zagging grooves. Between these columns are statues of Saint Benedict
and Ignatius of Loyola
, whose doctrines are important to this order.
On the same level is a window for light, which is surrounded by molding
s placed one behind the other for an echo-like effect. Within the moldings and in front of the window is a small, slender figure of Our Lady of the Pillar. Above this is the crest, which is triangular in shape and bears images of God the Father
, God the Son
and a dove representing the Holy Spirit
. Above this is an acanthus
leaf supporting a crown.
Interior is of the ultra-Baroque, or Mexican Churrigueresque
style and uses incoming light to highlight the golden details of the altarpiece
s. The floorplan of the church is an irregular octagon with a long lower choir which houses four altarpieces, and a very small atrium
which once divided the church from the convent/school area.
The central focus of the church is its main altar with altarpiece, flanked by two choirs. In the central section of the main altarpiece, there are images of the Holy Sacrament, the Our Lady of the Pillar, Ignatious of Loyola and Benedict of Nursia. These sculptures are made from glue-soaked cloth. The church also has six side altarpieces, all of which are done in the 18th century Mexican Churrigueresque style using estipite
(inverted truncated pyramid) columns.
The choirs of the church located on either side of the main altar. This not the usual place for the choir; normally one choir would be placed where the entrance of this church is. Since they are in the front of the church, lattice
-work screens were placed to shield the nuns from the gaze of commoners during services. Above these choirs, enormous canvases depicting the Assumption of Mary
and the Immaculate Conception
were placed.
On the right side of the main altar, next to the railing of the choir below is a small doorway through which the nuns received communion. The frame of this doorway is made of stone and is carved with two mermaids with their tails crossed supporting a oval with a well, a symbol of wisdom. In the center of the door covering this window there is an Eye of Providence
surrounded by rays of light and foliage.
The upper choir has an arch with bars decorated with iron foliage, in the center of which is the emblem of the Company of Mary Our Lady. The seats in this choir are the originals as is the organ.
Other features of the church include two windows showing scenes from the Old Testament
and an allegorical fresco of the Our Lady of the Pillar covering the vault. The pulpit contains four medallions each with one of the Four Evangelists
. There are ten small wooden doors that functioned as confessionals for both the nuns and the students of the convent.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. It has been argued that the Mexican 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...
style of this church, especially that of its altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s, represents the pinnacle of the Baroque period in Mexico, as this style soon gave way to the Neoclassic
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
after this church was built. The church’s official name is Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Church of Our Lady of the Pillar). The former convent was called El Convento de la Enseñanza La Antigua (The Old Convent of the Teaching), from which is derived the church’s popular name. After the Reform War
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...
, the convent was disbanded and the complex had various uses but the church has returned to is originally-intended function.
History
The convent was founded by Mother Maria Ignacia Alzor who belonged to the Company of Mary Our Lady founded by Jeanne de LestonnacJeanne de Lestonnac
Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac , alternately known as Joan of Lestonnac, was a Roman Catholic saint and founderess of the order The Company of Mary Our Lady. Though she lived in the 17th century her body remains incorrupt....
. Mother Maria Ignacia was from a wealthy Creole
Creole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
family that had established itself in Chihuahua. She entered the order of the Company of Mary Our Lady in Spain, where she obtained permission to found a convent and school for young girls.She bought two houses on what is now Donceles Street (then Calle de Cordobanes), just north of the main cathedral of Mexico City. In the parking area of the two houses, she began to build the church. This small space would determine the unusual design and dimensions of the building. With Francisco Antonio Guerrero y Torres as the architect, the church was built between 1772 and 1778.
The church was consecrated with Our Lady of the Pillar and Saint John of Nepomuk
John of Nepomuk
John of Nepomuk is a national saint of the Czech Republic, who was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans and King of Bohemia. Later accounts state that he was the confessor of the queen of Bohemia and refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional...
as patrons by Archbishop of Mexico Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta
Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta
Dr. Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta was archbishop of Mexico from September 12, 1772 to May 26, 1800, and viceroy of New Spain from May 8, 1787 to August 16, 1787.-Origins and education:Núñez de Haro was born in the diocese of Cuenca, Spain, probably on October 31, 1729, although some...
in 1778. The relics used to consecrate the church included a fingerbone from latter saint, a 25 cm gold statue of him, as well as a shroud that had come in contact with the Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
. A wooden statue of the Our Lady of the Pillar, which was inherited by Mother Maria Ignacia from her own mother, was placed on the main altar.
The name La Enseñanza comes from one of the convent’s main missions, which was to educate young girls. Over time, the convent school gained status until the most-privileged 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...
’s families sent their daughters there. However, it also taught girls from humbler families, esp. in needlework.
When Mother Maria Ignacia died in 1767, she was interred in the communion altar of the church. After the Reform War in 1867, the convent was closed and initially converted into a prison. Later, the convent was used to house the Palace of Justice, the General Notary Archive and the offices of the Ministry of Education. The church building was declared a national monument
National monument
A National monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of national importance such as a war or the country's founding. The term may also refer to a specific monument status, such as a National Heritage Site, which most national monuments are by reason of their cultural...
on 9 February 1931. The church building was refurbished between 1963 and 1969, reopening to worship in 1974. Since 1984, this church has been in the custody of Order of the Missionaries of the Eucharist of Nazareth who give services and maintain the building.
Description
It is a small church with its main axis running transversally to the street. The currently visible facade of the church was built in 1912, as a reproduction of the original. Unlike most other convent churches, La Enseñanza has only one, rather than two, portals. At the bottom, or first body, of the portal are the church’s main doors, which are topped by a curved arch, a common Baroque feature. Above this arch is an elongated niche. The doors are flanked by four relatively unadorned, thick columns. Between these columns are statues of the Archangel Michael and John de Nepomuk. The first is the guardian angel of the convent and the second is one of its patrons. Above the doorway arch and between the first and second bodies of the portal is an elongated niche that cuts the dividing line between the two bodies.(historic)Above these four thick columns are four more slender columns decorated with geometric figures and zig-zagging grooves. Between these columns are statues of Saint Benedict
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
and Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and was its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation...
, whose doctrines are important to this order.
On the same level is a window for light, which is surrounded by molding
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
s placed one behind the other for an echo-like effect. Within the moldings and in front of the window is a small, slender figure of Our Lady of the Pillar. Above this is the crest, which is triangular in shape and bears images of God the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
, God the Son
God the Son
God the Son is the second person of the Trinity in Christian theology. The doctrine of the Trinity identifies Jesus of Nazareth as God the Son, united in essence but distinct in person with regard to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit...
and a dove representing the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
. Above this is an acanthus
Acanthus (ornament)
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
leaf supporting a crown.
Interior is of the ultra-Baroque, or Mexican 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...
style and uses incoming light to highlight the golden details of the altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s. The floorplan of the church is an irregular octagon with a long lower choir which houses four altarpieces, and a very small atrium
Atrium (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...
which once divided the church from the convent/school area.
The central focus of the church is its main altar with altarpiece, flanked by two choirs. In the central section of the main altarpiece, there are images of the Holy Sacrament, the Our Lady of the Pillar, Ignatious of Loyola and Benedict of Nursia. These sculptures are made from glue-soaked cloth. The church also has six side altarpieces, all of which are done in the 18th century Mexican Churrigueresque style using estipite
Estipite
The estipite column is a type of column or pilaster typical of the Churrigueresque baroque style of Spain and Spanish America used in the 18th century. It has the shape of an inverted cone or obelisk....
(inverted truncated pyramid) columns.
The choirs of the church located on either side of the main altar. This not the usual place for the choir; normally one choir would be placed where the entrance of this church is. Since they are in the front of the church, lattice
Latticework
Latticework is a framework consisting of a criss-crossed pattern of strips of building material, typically wood or metal. The design is created by crossing the strips to form a network...
-work screens were placed to shield the nuns from the gaze of commoners during services. Above these choirs, enormous canvases depicting the Assumption of Mary
Assumption 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...
and the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
were placed.
On the right side of the main altar, next to the railing of the choir below is a small doorway through which the nuns received communion. The frame of this doorway is made of stone and is carved with two mermaids with their tails crossed supporting a oval with a well, a symbol of wisdom. In the center of the door covering this window there is an Eye of Providence
Eye of Providence
The Eye of Providence is a symbol showing an eye often surrounded by rays of light or a glory and usually enclosed by a triangle...
surrounded by rays of light and foliage.
The upper choir has an arch with bars decorated with iron foliage, in the center of which is the emblem of the Company of Mary Our Lady. The seats in this choir are the originals as is the organ.
Other features of the church include two windows showing scenes from the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and an allegorical fresco of the Our Lady of the Pillar covering the vault. The pulpit contains four medallions each with one of the Four Evangelists
Four Evangelists
In Christian tradition the Four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark...
. There are ten small wooden doors that functioned as confessionals for both the nuns and the students of the convent.