The Feast of Jesus of Nazareth de Atotonilco (also known in Nahuatl as the God of the Hot Water) is celebrated at its namesake church in the small village of Atotonilco seven miles from San Miguel. The church attracts about 5,000 visitors every week. The …
Battle Cry!
James was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and the first apostle to be martyred. Once beheaded by Herod Agrippa himself, his body was taken up by angels, and sailed in a rudderless, unattended boat to Spain where he had converted locals earlier in his life. …
Three Faces of Mary
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven, informally known as The Assumption, was the Virgin Mary ascending into Heaven at the end of her earthly life. The Assumption is Mary’s heavenly birthday. Her acceptance into the glory of Heaven is seen as the symbol of the promise made by Jesus to …
Three Hail Marys
On August 17th the Virgin of the Three Hail Marys is a popular San Miguel festival continuing to celebrate Mary’s ascent into Heaven. It is said that in 1960 Father Benjamin Grimaldi Balderas built the chapel to the right of the main altar in the Templo …
Flying Mary
Our Lady of Loreto is an image of Mary that graces the city from many niches and doors. Dressed in a wide dress, in the shape of a fan, Mary holds the baby Jesus. Mary’s dress features grapes and wheat depicting the Eucharist. Her towering …
Jardin Warfare!
St. Michael the Archangel is one of Catholic Church’s three archangels (Garbriel and Raphael are the others). He vanquished Satan from Paradise. He is also the Angel of Death, weighing souls in his perfectly balanced scales (hence the saint is often depicted holding scales). Since archangels are considered …
Taxi!
Late one afternoon on, or near, October third around 100 taxis in town will parade down the Real a Queretaro into the jardin festively decorated. Once parked and the driver’s family exits the vehicle, the hoods are opened and a priest with give a special …
A Taste of India
The church, Nuestra Señora de La Salud (Our Lady of Good Health), dates back to the 18th century when it served as a chapel for the adjacent San Francisco de Sales College. The entrance to this church is crowned by a gigantic carved seashell. In the …
Day of the Dead
Before the coming of the Catholic conquistadors, natives lived with death as a constant companion. The Chichimecas believed the spirits of the dead remained among the living to be acknowledged through song, dance, and food. The cult of ancestor worship was deeply rooted in Mesoamerica. …
Laughter, Music and Joy!
Phillip Neri was a 1500’s Italian priest noted for founding a society of clergy called the “Congregation of the Oratory” known for their music, called oratorios. All members of his order had to be over 35 years old (having lived a secular life) and were able to not only bring …