Walking through the cobblestone streets of Coyoacán in Mexico City is like opening a history book and letting its pages whisper the stories of past centuries. At the heart of this picturesque neighborhood, you can find one of the most representative emblems of the locality: the Parish of San Juan Bautista.
The Parish of San Juan Bautista is not an ordinary church. Its red quarry facade and carved volcanic stone walls, along with its solitary tower, bear witness to the beauty of the Novohispanic Baroque and the rich history the city has lived since colonial times.
History of the Parish of San Juan Bautista
The history of this church dates back to 1522 when Hernán Cortés granted a piece of land to a group of Franciscan monks. Over an ancient adoration site, the monks built the convent, temple, and orchard of San Juan Bautista, a process that took 30 years. The original church consisted of three naves, with Plateresque decoration on the doors and baptismal fonts with pre-Cortesian characters.
Over more than four centuries, the church was rebuilt in 1804 and remodeled between 1926 and 1947. However, its exterior and interior beauty has not only remained intact but has also been adorned with valuable paintings.
Layout
The Parish of San Juan Bautista houses several chapels, each with its own history and meaning. For instance, the “Chapel of the Holy Sacrament” is where the Monstrance with the consecrated host is displayed daily.
Next to this chapel, you can find the “Chapel of the Virgins”, where every Holy Week the rosary is prayed before the Holy Burial. There’s also the “Chapel of the Holy Cross”, which belongs to the convent and can also be accessed from the temple.
Notable Events
The Parish of San Juan Bautista has witnessed numerous historical events. In 1934, during an anti-Catholic riot led by Tomás Garrido Canabal, María de la Luz Cirenia Camacho González was injured in the chest. Her remains are still preserved in the parish and she is undergoing beatification.
In addition, towards the end of the 20th century, a black mark appeared on a wall facing Hidalgo Garden, which the faithful and priests identified as the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. This event attracted the attention of the media and numerous parishioners.
Legends
Like all ancient structures, the Parish of San Juan Bautista has its own legends. One of the most famous is that of Brother Lego, a Dominican monk who, despite being illiterate, had memorized his prayers. Every morning and night he prayed 150 Hail Marys and every time he did so, roses seemed to miraculously appear in the altar vases.
Present Day
Today, the Parish of San Juan Bautista remains a place of worship and contemplation. Despite the damage caused by the September 19, 2017 earthquake, the church stands tall, bearing witness to the faith and resilience of its community.
A stroll through the streets of Coyoacán would not be complete without a visit to the Parish of San Juan Bautista. Whether you’re drawn to its baroque architecture, the tranquility of its chapels, or the echo of its stories and legends, this temple invites you to pause, take a deep breath, and let yourself be enveloped by the beauty and history guarded within its centuries-old walls.
If you want to know more about this topic, you can access material from the National Media Library about the Parish of San Juan Bautista at this link: https://mediateca.inah.gob.mx/repositorio/islandora/object/guia%3A131
Learn more about Coyoacán’s church architecture by reading our article: The Temple of San Francisco in Coyoacán: An Architectural Treasure in the Heart of the City.