Cotija de la Paz facts for kids
Cotija is a special area called a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán. It covers about 504 square kilometers. This area is surrounded by other places like Jiquilpan and Villamar to the north. To the east, it borders Tocumbo, and to the south, it touches the state of Jalisco.
In 2005, about 18,207 people lived in the municipality. The main city in this area is called Cotija de la Paz, where about 12,453 people live.
Cotija is known as the birthplace of some important religious figures. These include Saint Rafael Guízar Valencia and Father Marcial Maciel. The main ways people make a living here are through farming and raising animals. You might have heard of Cotija cheese; it's named after this very city!
In 2008, the leader of Cotija and its nearby communities was José Mendoza Morfín.
History of Cotija
The exact year Cotija was founded is a bit unclear. Some say it was established between 1575 and 1576. This happened in a place called Cotixa, which was close to the Clear River. Mr. Melchor Manzo de Corona built the first Spanish settlement there.
From 1581 to 1595, eleven more Spanish settlers joined Mr. Corona in Cotixa. They built their homes and started raising cattle to make a living. More Spanish families arrived over time. This Spanish settlement was known as the Rincon de Cotixa, which means "Cotixa Nook." Mr. Melchor Manzo's large farm, or hacienda, was seen as the center of this settlement.
A simple chapel was built to honor Our Lady of the Pópolo. On Sundays, a market, or tianguis, was held there. By 1730, the chapel in Rincon de Cotixa had a priest. However, important religious events like baptisms or weddings could not be held there. People had to travel to the town of Tingüindín for these ceremonies. This changed in November 1740. The Bishop of Michoacán, Fr. Marks Ramirez of the Prado, gave permission for the chapel to perform burials.
Between August 2 and 5, 1759, a leader named Francisco Antonio de Echavarri made an important decision. He declared that Rincon de Cotixa and another area, Llano of Titiacoro, would join together. They were officially renamed the Congregation of Cotija. Later, in 1790, Cotija was officially recognized as a city by the governor of Michoacán, Aristeo Mercado.
Famous People from Cotija
Cotija is the hometown of several notable individuals:
- Marcial Maciel Degollado, who founded a worldwide Catholic religious order called the Legion of Christ.
- Joseph A. Lopez, who was a chaplain to Agustín de Iturbide and later became the president of Georgetown University.
- Rafael Guízar Valencia, a respected Bishop and Saint who lived from 1877 to 1938.
- Felipe Arriaga, a well-known Mexican singer.
See also
In Spanish: Cotija de la Paz para niños
