Mascota Part 4 of 6: Parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Dolores

Dramatic clouds loom over Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. The Parroquia stands in a broad atrium, surrounded by a wall and several ornate gates. A parroquia (parish church) is the main church in a Mexican community. The one in Mascota is called Nuestra Señora de los Dolores  (Our Lady of Sorrows). An older church, built in 1649, once occupied this site. In 1702 construction began on new one at the same location. The project lasted 100 years and resulted in the church you see today.

The Parroquia is located on the south side of Mascota's Plaza Principal and occupies a whole city block. In this posting, we will first take a look at the exterior features of the church, some of which clearly show elements of the original 17th century Baroque structure which were retained when the structure was rebuilt in the 18th century in Neo-Classical style. Next, we will tour the inside to see the nave and altar areas and a side chapel, along with some interesting statues on display.


The Parroquia's exterior

The main entrance of the Parroquia is one of the Baroque areas that were retained. Most of the remaining Baroque features are on the exterior, while the interior exhibits the Neo-Classical style.

The arch over the main entrance contains a couple of interesting details. The two scallop shells are closely associated with Santiago Apóstol (St. James, one of the original Twelve Apostles). According to one legend, Santiago evangelized in Spain for a time but was martyred when he returned to the Holy Land.

When his body was returned to Spain for burial, it was washed overboard during a storm. Later found on the shore, the body was covered with scallop shells but otherwise miraculously intact. The place of his burial, Santiago Compostela, in northwestern Spain, is a major pilgrimage site to this day.

The banner between the scallop shells is held by winged cupids on either end. Oddly, the cupids appear upside down. My speculation is that they were originally supposed to be right-side-up, but the curve of the banner better matched the curve of the arch when it was put in place.

Pairs of Solomonic columns stand on either side of the entrance. These are standard features of Baroque architecture, particularly the Churrigueresque variation found in Mexico. The distinguishing feature of a Solomonic column is its spiraling cork-screw design. Notice how the the two columns spiral in opposite directions. Solomonic columns got their name when some were brought back to Rome by Emperor Constantine the Great, the first Roman Emperor to become a Christian.

Legend has it that Constantine got the spiraling columns from the ruins of Jerusalem's Temple of Solomon. When he returned to Rome, he donated them to St. Peter's Basilica for use in the high altar. Investigators have determined that the columns are made of Greek marble and, in actuality, probably came from the city of Corinth. Solomonic columns became a popular feature of Spanish Baroque architecture during the 17th century and can be found in many Mexican churches built during that time.

A Neo-Classic wing extends out from the right side of the church. This structure was probably added in the 19th or early 20th century. Its purpose was not clear to me and there was no sign. However, it is likely that the building contains the offices of the priest and church officials. On the left, at the point near where the wing joins the main structure, you can see the right side entrance to the church.

The right-side entrance is Neo-Classical. However, the rough stone wall surrounding it may be part of the original 17th century church. Construction materials often provide clues to the age and style of old buildings in Mexico. Mexico's earliest churches were built of adobe with thatched roofs. Rough stone began to replace adobe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Another wing extends out from the left side of the church. This one may be residential and probably contains the home of the párroco (parish priest). The left side entrance of the church is directly opposite the one on the right. This entrance, however, is of a much simpler design.

Statue of San José Maria Robles Hurtado, a martyr of the Cristero War.  The statue stands in a small open chapel just to the left of the main entrance. Notice the noose over the statue's left shoulder. Robles Hurtado was born in Mascota in 1888, and became a Catholic priest in 1913 at the age of 25. He was hanged by government forces on June 28, 1927 during the Cristero War (1926-29). The conflict broke out a decade after the end of the Revolution and was one of its main aftershocks.

San José Maria Robles Hurtado was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000, along with 23 other priests from all over Mexico. They all died during a struggle between the revolutionary government and Catholic rebels. The rebels, and the Church hierarchy who supported them, were fighting to maintain the power and privileges the Church had enjoyed during the previous 400 years. The government, in turn, was attempting to enforce the anti-clerical provisions of the Constitution of 1917, which included secularized education.


Inside the Parroquia

The style of the main nave is Neo-Classical. Typical of this style are the Greco-Roman pillars with Corinthian capitals that frame a series of large oil paintings along either side. While Baroque/Churrigueresque tends to fill every available space with statues, cupids and floral decoration, Neo-Classical is much more restrained in its approach. In fact, Neo-Classical style was an expression of the Rationalist Movement of the 18th century. As such, it was a reaction to the passionate excesses of Baroque.

The main altar and its retablo. In the center of the retablo is a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. This version of the Virgin Mary refers to the sorrows of her life, including the crucifixion of her son Jesus. On the left and right are statues of Joachuim and Anne, her father and mother. Neither of these two is mentioned in the Bible. Their stories appeared in anonymous writings long after her death and were further embellished over the centuries.

A woman prays in a side chapel in front of a reliquary. A reliquary is a container, often highly decorated, that contains holy relics. Sometimes these include the bones of a saint, or objects the saint may have touched while alive. A reliquary is usually placed at the center of an altar and has a small door in front that can be opened to view the objects within.

Statue of San Martin de Porres (1579-1639). He was member of the Dominican Order of evangelizing friars located in Lima, Peru. Martin was the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a freed slave. She was a mulatta, of mixed African and indigenous heritage. The nobleman abandoned his family and Martin grew up in poverty, an experience that gave him great sympathy for the poor. As a boy, he took a job as a low level kitchen worker at the Dominican monastery in Lima.

For many years, Martin was not allowed to become a member of the Order because of his mixed race and his mother's status as a former slave. The Prior of the monastery eventually recognized his exceptional qualities. The rules were bent and he was finally allowed to become a Dominican friar, although he never became a priest. Martin's work with the poor and sick won him wide acclaim and many miracles were attributed to him. San Martin de Porres is the Patron of mixed race people, innkeepers, barbers, and public health workers. He was canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII.

This completes Part 4 of my Mascota series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below, or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE include your email address so that I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim