Morelia Cathedral

Morelia 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 (Template:Lang-es) is a religious site that is the seat of the Archdiocese of Morelia of the Catholic church in Mexico. It is located as its name itself says in the city of Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacán, Mexico. The cathedral is located in the first square of the city, forming the trace of the Historic Center of Morelia. The building was built in the 18th century at the time of the viceroyalty, it is Baroque in style and is made of pink stone that gives it a peculiar and characteristic color. An important family group headed by Sebastián de Guedea collaborated in its construction for a long period; They were Andrés, Pedro, Diego, Miguel, Anastacio, Lorenzo and Joseph, all with the surname Guedea.

General data of interest

Majestic pink quarry building, in Baroque board style. Inside, the Doric order predominates as the basis of the ornamentation and it has Neoclassical altarpieces. Its construction began in 1660 and was completed in 1744. Among the treasures it houses are the Baroque-style Silver Manifestor from the 18th century; the silver Baptismal Font, in Neoclassical style, also from the 18th century; the Monumental Organ, from the beginning of the century and consisting of 4,600 flutes or voices; the image of the Lord of the Sacristy, made with the pre-Hispanic technique of "corn cane paste", from the 16th century, as well as valuable paintings located in the sacristy and the Chapter house.

• Architecturally, the Morelia Cathedral, when compared to other cathedrals in Mexico, is similar to the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, Puebla Cathedral, and even the Guadalajara Cathedral inside.

• The cathedral is the most emblematic and representative building of Morelia given its height, since it has two tall towers, which can be seen throughout the city valley. Due to their height, the towers of the Morelia Cathedral (66.8 m) are the seventh tallest in Mexico, after the towers of the Guadalupano Sanctuary (unfinished cathedral) in Zamora de Hidalgo (107.5 m), the Villahermosa Cathedral (80 m), the Puebla Cathedral in Puebla de Zaragoza (73 m), Cathedral of León, in León, Guanajuato (70 m), the Sanctuary of Guadalupe, in San Luis Potosí (68 m) and the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral (61 m)

History

Construction of the church building, using local pink stone, began in 1660, but was only completed in 1744, after 84 years. The interior is bedecked with both baroque and neoclassical decoration.

The church interior displays an elaborate 18th-century baroque altar frame titled Manifestador de la Plata (Silver-Manifestation). The Baptismal Font (Pila Bautismal), also of silver, was built in a neoclassical-style. The monumental organ, imported from Germany in 1905, was the largest organ in the Western Hemisphere at the time. It consists of 4600 flutes or pipes.

Eastern façade

Outside, the 70 meter high bell-towers are prominent from afar. The cathedral is reputedly the only one in Mexico not oriented toward the East, but to the north.

An icon titled the Señor de la Sacristía (Lord of the vestry), is made in a style influenced by pre-Christian art of "corn cane paste", the 16th century, as well as valuable paintings located in the sacristy and the chapter. This icon and the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, patron of the city, are commonly venerated. The cathedral is dedicated to the Transfiguration.

According to the critic and art historian Sylvester Baxter, the cathedral in Morelia is the most beautiful of all Mexican cathedrals. The cathedral, on some Saturdays, is the site for a spectacle of light, sound and fireworks. The church is also the sponsor of many artistic and cultural events, like the International Organ Festival of Morelia, and International Music Festival of Morelia.