Morelia Cathedral facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Morelia Metropolitan Cathedral
Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord of Morelia
Catedral de la Transfiguración del Señor de Morelia  (Spanish)
The pink stone of the Cathedral of Morelia
Location	Morelia, Mexico
Denomination	Catholic
Tradition	Roman Rite
History
Status	Cathedral
Dedication	Transfiguration of Jesus
Architecture
Groundbreaking	6 May 1660
Completed	1744
Administration
Archdiocese	Morelia

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Morelia is a very important church in Morelia, Mexico. It's the main church for the Catholic Church in this area. You can find it right in the heart of Morelia, the capital city of Michoacán state.

This amazing building was finished in 1744, during the time when Mexico was called New Spain. It has a beautiful Baroque style and is made of unique pink stone. This stone gives the cathedral its special and famous color. Many people from the Guedea family helped build it over a long time.

Cool Facts About the Cathedral

Center of Morelia and the cathedral

Front facade

This grand building is made of pink stone in the Baroque style. Inside, it has a simple, classic look called Doric. It also features Neoclassical altarpieces, which are like fancy decorated screens behind the altars. Building the cathedral started in 1660 and was completed in 1744.

The cathedral holds many treasures. One is a silver "Manifestor" from the 1700s, used to display the Eucharist. There's also a silver Baptismal Font from the same century. A huge organ, built in the early 1900s, has 4,600 pipes! You can also see an old image of the Lord of the Sacristy. This image was made in the 1500s using a special technique with corn cane paste. The sacristy and Chapter House also have valuable paintings.

• Compared to other cathedrals in Mexico, Morelia Cathedral looks a bit like the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral and Puebla Cathedral.
• It's the most famous building in Morelia because of its height. Its two tall towers can be seen from all over the city.
• The towers of Morelia Cathedral are about 66.8 meters (219 feet) tall. This makes them some of the tallest in Mexico.
• It's the only cathedral in Mexico that faces north instead of south.
• The cathedral has cool new LED lights that can change colors. On Saturdays, there's a special light, sound, and fireworks show!
• The cathedral is dedicated to the Transfiguration of Jesus. Inside, two images are especially loved: the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who is the city's patron saint, and the Lord of the Sacristy, a very old statue of Christ.
• Its beauty and history make it a true symbol of Morelia.
• The huge organ, made in Germany in the early 1900s, was once the biggest in Latin America. Today, it's still one of the most important organs in Mexico.
• Because of its beauty and great sound, the cathedral hosts many concerts and cultural events. These include the Morelia International Organ Festival and the Morelia International Music Festival.
• On February 16, 2016, Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, visited the cathedral.

A Look Back: The Cathedral's Story

The first cathedral in Morelia was opened in 1580. It was much smaller than the one we see today. It was located at the corners of Abasolo and Corregidora streets. But the city of Valladolid (now Morelia) grew a lot. Also, a fire badly damaged the old cathedral. So, people decided they needed a bigger and stronger church. Plans for the new cathedral began in the early 1600s.

On May 6, 1660, the first stone of the new cathedral was laid. Bishop Friar Marcos Ramírez Del Prado led this event. An Italian architect named Vizencio Barroquio was in charge of the building. He worked on it until he passed away in 1692. So, he never saw his amazing work finished. However, his students continued the project. They finally completed the huge church in 1744, just 52 years later.

The inside of the cathedral has a simple, classic Doric style. It has three main sections called naves. The middle nave is held up by 14 columns. Along the two side naves, there are four beautifully decorated chapels. There are also several Neoclassical altarpieces. Two chapels are under the towers, and two are next to them. The chapels on the east side are for the Virgin of la Soledad and the cathedral's tabernacle. On the west side, one chapel is for the Holy Family, and another is a marble tomb for archbishops.

The cathedral also has rooms like the Chapter House and the Sacristy. Here, you can find old paintings and furniture from the 17th and 19th centuries. Even though the cathedral was looted many times during the Mexican War of Independence and the Mexican Revolution, it still has many valuable art pieces. One important sculpture inside is a Christ from the 1500s, known as the Lord of the Sacristy. There are also paintings by famous artists like Miguel Cabrera and Juan Rodríguez Juárez.

The Morelia Cathedral has an impressive pipe organ from the early 1900s. It's called "San Gregorio Magno." This German-made organ has 4,600 pipes! It replaced an older Spanish organ from the 1700s. Only the carved wooden parts of the old organ are still there, decorating the new one.

From the outside, the cathedral looks like a giant building made of pink quarry stone. This type of stone is common in the region. It has two large Baroque-style towers, each over 65 meters (213 feet) tall. The front has three parts with carved designs. A beautiful wrought-iron fence from the 1800s surrounds the front area. The church is shaped like a "Latin cross" and is 96 meters (315 feet) long. The main front faces the city's main street, Avenida Madero, not the main square. On the main entrance, you can see carvings and statues. These show scenes like the resurrection and the adoration of the shepherds and wise men.

The two twin towers are each over 65 meters tall. They rise above the front of the church, making the cathedral look grand and balanced. One tower has an iron cross on top, which stands for the divine side of Christ. The other tower has a stone cross, representing Jesus' human side. There's also another dome over one of the chapels. The main dome is covered with colorful azulejo tiles and sits on a large round base.

What Does It Look Like?

The Exterior

West facade of the cathedral.

Main portal

Domes

The cathedral is a huge building made of pink stone. It has two tall towers, each 66.8 meters (219 feet) high. These are called twin towers and have a Baroque style. The building has three main fronts: one at the front and two on the sides. Each front has carved designs. The church is shaped like a Latin cross. It is 96 meters (315 feet) long and 62 meters (203 feet) wide. A beautiful iron fence from the 1800s surrounds the front area.

• Facades:
• Main Facade: The main front of the cathedral has three levels. It is in the Baroque style. This front faces the main street of the city, Avenida Madero. This is different from most old Mexican cities, where the main church usually faces the main square. The main entrance has sculptures and carvings. These show scenes like the Transfiguration of Christ, the Adoration of the Shepherds, and the Adoration of the Magi. You can also see statues of St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Agatha of Sicily, and St. Rose of Lima.
  • Side Facades:
    • East Portal: This side entrance is dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, who is very important in America.
    • West Portal: This side entrance is dedicated to St. Joseph, who was the first patron saint of the city.
• Towers: The two twin towers each have three parts and are 62 meters (203 feet) high. If you count the crosses on top, they are 66.7 meters (219 feet) tall. They rise above the church's entrance, making the building look grand and balanced. One tower has an iron cross on top, which stands for the divine side of Christ. The other tower has a stone cross, representing Jesus' human side.
  • East Tower
  • West Tower
• Central Dome: The main dome is covered with colorful azulejo tiles. Inside, it is held up by a huge round base. There is also another dome that sits over one of the chapels.
• Dome of the Shrine (Dome of the sagrario)

Interior

The Neoclassical interior

The inside of the cathedral looks different from the outside. It has a simple, classic Doric style. It has three main sections called naves. The middle nave is held up by fourteen columns. Along the sides, there are four beautifully decorated chapels. There are also many Neoclassical altarpieces along the two side naves.

• Naves:
  • Central Nave: At the main altar, there is a structure called a cypress. It has four columns that hold up a dome. Inside it is a silver "manifestor." In the central nave, there is also a pulpit made of carved wood.
  • Side Naves: The two side naves have altars dedicated to different saints. At the very end of these naves are large altars. One on the east side is for the Lord of the Sacristy. The other on the west side is for the Sacred Heart, who is the patron saint of the city.
    • East Side Nave:
    • West Side Nave:
• Chapels: The cathedral has four chapels. They are located at the beginning of the side naves. Two chapels are right under the towers, and the other two are next to them. The chapels on the eastern side are for the Virgen de los Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) and the cathedral's Tabernacle. On the west side, one chapel is for the Holy Family. The other is a special chapel with marble tombs for archbishops.
  • Chapel of the Tabernacle (Chapel del Sagrario)
  • Chapel of la Soledad
  • Chapel of la Sagrada Familia or of los Mártires
  • Chapel of San Jerónimo
• Rooms: The cathedral has several rooms, including the Chapter House and the Sacristy. In these rooms, you can find old paintings and furniture from the 1700s and 1800s.
• Sacristy Room:
• Chapter House:

Treasures Inside!

The cathedral still holds many amazing treasures. These are works of great art, religious meaning, and historical value.

Altarpiece and Manifestor

• Silver Art:
  • "Manifestor:" This silver piece is from the 1700s and is 3.19 meters (10.5 feet) tall. It has 29 small statues and 42 gilded (gold-covered) carvings. These carvings tell a story about Christ's presence in the Eucharist.
  • Baptismal Font: This is a beautiful silver piece with a strong Neoclassical style. Two important historical figures, Agustín de Iturbide and José María Morelos, were baptized here.
• Sculptures: There are many sculptures inside. A very special one is a statue of Christ from the 1500s, known as the Lord of the Sacristy.
  • Lord of the Sacristy:
  • Sacred Heart:
• Ceramics:
  • Chinese Tibores (vessels)
• Oil Paintings: The cathedral has paintings by famous artists. These include Miguel Cabrera, one of the most important painters from New Spain, and Juan Rodríguez Juárez. These paintings are kept in the sacristy and the Chapter House.
  • Monumental Oil Painting of the Transfiguration:
  • Virgin of Guadalupe Oil:
• Relics:
  • Relics of the Martyrs: The cathedral keeps relics (special objects linked to saints) of Saint Pío and Saint Christopher. You can see them in glass cases in one of the side chapels.
• Furniture:
  • Pulpit:
  • Choir Stalls:
  • Archbishop's Chair:
  • Tenebrario: This is a triangle-shaped candle holder made of carved wood. It was used for special prayers.
• Other Art Pieces:
  • Monumental Organ of the Cathedral of Morelia: The cathedral has a very important pipe organ with 4,600 pipes. It was built in 1907 in Germany. It's called "San Gregorio Magno" and has a Churrigueresque Revival style. It replaced an older Spanish organ from the 1700s. Only the carved wooden parts of the old organ remain, decorating the new one. Every December, the Morelia International Organ Festival takes place here. Famous organists from all over the world come to perform concerts. Sometimes, the Michoacán State Symphony Orchestra also plays with the organ.
  • Commemorative Plaque for the Visit of S.S. Pope Francis

Images for kids

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  Cathedral of Morelia in 1889 by Susan Hale.

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  Cathedral of Morelia in 1891 by Élisée Reclus.

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  Cathedral of Morelia in 1901. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia.