Cathedral of León, Guanajuato facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Light |
|
|---|---|
| Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Luz | |
 |
|
| 21°07′27″N 101°40′55″W / 21.1242°N 101.6819°W | |
| Location | León, Guanajuato |
| Country |  Mexico |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1866 |
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Light, also known as the León Cathedral, is a beautiful and important Roman Catholic church. It is located in the historic center of the city of León in Mexico. This grand building serves as the main church for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of León. The cathedral was officially declared sacred, or consecrated, in 1866.
History of the Cathedral
The story of this cathedral is full of twists and turns. Its construction began long ago and faced many delays before it became the amazing landmark it is today.
Early Beginnings and Delays
The plan to build a new church started in 1764. A group of priests called the Jesuits returned to León and needed a new place of worship. Their old church was falling apart. They decided to name the new church after the Virgin of Light.
However, just three years later, in 1767, the Jesuits were forced to leave the area. With them gone, all construction on the new church stopped. For many years, the building sat unfinished.
Becoming a Cathedral
Almost 100 years later, things started to change. The Diocese of León, a new church district, was created on February 21, 1864. Its new bishop, José María de Jesús Diez de Sollano, decided to finish the abandoned church and make it his cathedral.
Under his leadership, work began again. The arched ceilings, called vaults, were finished between 1833 and 1837. The first part of the east tower was built in 1864. A huge bell, weighing 4.5 tons (about the weight of an elephant!), was made in late 1865 and early 1866. Finally, in 1866, the church was completed and officially became the León Cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de León para niños
