The oldest church in Mexico: Complete guide

The oldest church in Mexico, and also in North and Central America, is an extremely important fact, considering that the vast majority of Mexicans are Catholic.

Therefore, knowing this fact is more than important, and for that reason, we will tell you and explain the most important details about the oldest church in Mexico.

In Mexico, there are about 90 million believers, according to INEGI data, so it is not uncommon to find a large number of temples spread throughout the national territory, many of them built since the time of the conquest.

For this reason, it is not surprising that the oldest church in Mexico dates back nearly five centuries. The oldest church in Mexico is located in Mérida, that beautiful city in Yucatán, a city considered the main center of interest for lovers of colonial and Mayan history.

History enthusiasts can visit the oldest church in Mexico to learn more about the region and its unique architectural heritage.

In addition to the oldest church in Mexico, Mérida offers the opportunity to explore many sites that allow for an analysis of the evolution of architecture over the centuries.

The Oldest Church in Mexico.

It is considered a national heritage, and moreover, it is the oldest ecclesiastical structure in all of North America. The oldest church in Mexico is the Cathedral of San Ildefonso in Mérida, Yucatán.

In Mérida, you will find the Cathedral of San Ildefonso, whose construction began on a rudimentary chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph in 1562.

The building was completed in 1598. It has an interior that shows Gothic influence in its tall columns and carved stone vaults, while the exterior is sober, Renaissance in style, with Moorish elements in its two towers, each 43.50 meters high.

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, various Baroque and Churrigueresque works were looted by revolutionaries, so this temple lost much of its sacred art.

This is the first cathedral built on the mainland of the Americas, that is, on solid ground. The very first was the Cathedral of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Thus, the oldest church in Mexico stands as a reference throughout the Americas.

The oldest church in Mexico was built by 300 Mayan workers using the remains of their sanctuaries. Therefore, this area has great historical significance for Mexico.

Architectural Elements of the Church:

The architects of the cathedral were Aulestia and El Servicio, and the interior is designed in three styles: Gothic, Plateresque, and Neo-Gothic.

During the Mexican Revolution in the 20th century, the cathedral’s decoration was severely damaged by anti-clerical peasants, giving the interior a rather modest appearance, almost Protestant in style.

The oldest church in Mexico consists of three naves, one central and two lateral. It has three chapels and a sacristy. Originally, there were five chapels, but they were demolished.

The church features two two-tiered towers in a Moorish style and a dome adorned with flying buttresses.

The façade of the oldest church in Mexico is of the Renaissance type, with the most prominent feature being the “Puerta del Perdón” (Door of Forgiveness), which has a semicircular arch framed by paired columns on each side.

Between the columns are two images, one of Saint Peter and the other of Saint Paul. Above the main entrance arch is a cornice with a triangular pediment.

Above this, there is a window corresponding to what is now the choir, and further up, the stone shield of Mexico’s first national emblem is preserved.

The emblem from the 16th century retains the crown, the Golden Fleece, and the inscription “Philip III D.G. Hispaniarvm et Yndiarvm rex.

Anno a nativitate domini 1599,” which translates to: “Philip III, by the grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies, year of the birth of the Lord 1599.”

Symbolic Elements in the Church:

In the center of the cathedral is Mérida’s most famous sanctuary: the Cristo de las Ampollas, a replica of the wooden sculpture of Christ that supposedly miraculously survived a fire in the 16th century.

The scorched Christ remained standing and burned in the church of Ichmuy, but in 1645, it was moved closer to the Catholic Mass in Mérida.

It is said that during the Mexican Revolution, the statue was destroyed, and only a copy remains in the cathedral. The sculpture was removed from the church on September 27th and is officially housed in the city.

Another symbolic element in the oldest church in Mexico is the Cristo de la Unidad (Christ of Unity) located atop the crucifix behind the altar, symbolizing reconciliation between the Spanish and the Mayans.

Additionally, the oldest church in Mexico serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Yucatán.

History of the Oldest Church in Mexico

The oldest church in Mexico was commissioned by King Philip II after receiving authorization from Pope Pius IV, following the founding of the city of Mérida.

This city was established on the ancient Mayan city of T’Hó in 1542 during the conquest of Yucatán.

The cathedral of the capital of the General Captaincy of Yucatán was erected as the first continental cathedral in the Americas, serving as the seat of the corresponding bishopric.

Construction work began in 1562, and the current oldest church in Mexico was built on the site of the Chapel of Saint Joseph.

The construction of the church was entrusted to Pedro de Aulestia and completed by Juan Miguel de Agüero and his collaborator, Gregorio de la Torre. The oldest church in Mexico was finished in 1598.

The Church and Its Passage Through Time: Looting During the Revolution

During the 19th century, some of the treasures and artworks in the oldest church in Mexico were stolen due to the looting and political instability that plagued the city during this period.

The Mérida Cathedral was looted on September 24, 1915, upon the arrival of revolutionary forces commanded by Salvador Alvarado.

In this looting, part of its invaluable collection of sacred art was lost, including Baroque and Churrigueresque altarpieces dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, the cathedral treasure, and the Walcker organ, which was of German manufacture and had only been built in 1902.

In 1916, the Chapel of Saint Joseph and the Chapel of the Rosary were demolished to separate the cathedral from the Episcopal Palace, which is now the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The open space that resulted is now known as the pedestrian walkway called the “Pasaje de la Revolución,” which initially had arches at both ends and a roof made of metal framework and glass. However, these were later removed due to deterioration.

The arches were demolished, and many years later, in 2011, they were restored to their original form, including the metal framework roof, which, instead of glass, was covered with acrylic plastic.

Read More: Earthquakes in Mexico City. 

National Historical Heritage

A very important event occurred in 1982 when the Historic Center of Mérida was declared a national heritage site by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Mérida is considered one of the cultural capitals of the world, thanks to its seven treasures, among which is the oldest church in Mexico.

The seven treasures of Mérida are:

• The Cathedral
• Haciendas of Mérida
• The “José Peón Contreras” Theater
• The Dzibilchaltún Archaeological Zone
• The Monument to the Homeland
• The Paseo de Montejo Avenue
• The Casa de Montejo

Oldest Churches in Mexico:

In addition to the church in Mérida, these are the oldest churches in Mexico:

Church of the Immaculate Conception, in Mexico City: This is one of the historical and architectural gems of Coyoacán and Mexico City.

This tiny building was constructed on top of a Toltec altar. After the conquest of Tenochtitlán, Hernán Cortés ordered the construction of various buildings, many of them Catholic. One of them was this chapel, built in 1525.

Chapel of San José de Tlaltenango, in Morelos: Not far from Mexico City, specifically in the Tlaltenango neighborhood in Cuernavaca, Morelos, lies the ancient Chapel of San José de Tlaltenango. Be careful not to confuse it with the namesake church (which is next to it), as the latter was built in 1730.

Parish of San Miguel Arcángel, in Veracruz: About 30 minutes south of the port, in the town of Medellín de Bravo, stands the Parish of San Miguel Arcángel. The chapel was constructed between 1523 and 1529, during the time of the Franciscan friar Juan de Zumárraga, who received the order from Hernán Cortés.

Hermitage of the Rosary, in Veracruz: Located 40 minutes north of the port of Veracruz, in the town of La Antigua, where the original Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz was founded, before it was later moved to its current location. It was the first of its kind on the continent, built in 1523 by Franciscan friars led by Friar Martín de Valencia.