Talpa de Allende Part 2 of 3: Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Rosario and the Pilgrims' Route

 

Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Rosario stands in Talpa's main plaza. The Basilica is the end point of two annual pilgrimages which start from the town of Ameca, 117.3 km (73.4 mi) away. The pilgrimage route has been traveled by the faithful since 1644, the date of the miraculous Renovacion (see Part 1 of this series). In 2010 alone, 3 million people made the journey.

In Part 2 of my series on Talpa de Allende, I will show you some of the architectural aspects of the Basilica, describe a little of its history, and discuss the pilgrimage. To view a Google map of the pilgrimage route, click here.

The Basilica's Exterior

A group of musicians plays at the main gate of the Basilica's atrium.  An atrium is a broad enclosed courtyard in front of a church. In colonial times, atriums were used to conduct Mass for indigenous congregants who were often far too numerous to fit inside the church. The atrium has two nearly identical gates on its north and south sides.

Pilgrimages are made throughout the year, but the two largest occur around the October 7 anniversary of the Renovación and during Semana Santa (Easter Week). The most common starting point is the central plaza of the small city of Ameca. Between Ameca and Talpa, the route passes through twelve pueblos. The distance between them ranges from as little as 4 km to as much as 18 km. While the faithful sometimes make the journey by car or bus, they traditionally come on foot. 

Main entrance of the Basilica, seen through the north gate of the atrium. I found that detailed information about the Basilica's architecture or construction was difficult to obtain. Even my friend Richard Perry, a specialist in Mexican religious architecture of the colonial era, was unable to provide much. 

Even the dates of construction are ambiguous. A sign in Talpa's Museo de Nuestra Señora del Rosario claims 1759. Richard and another source both say 1782. Of course, the earlier date could refer to the beginning of construction and the later to the church's completion. 

Sometimes walking alone and sometimes in groups, pilgrims make their way from pueblo to pueblo. Along their route, local people set up makeshift restaurants to sell them food and drinks. The economic benefits of the pilgrimage do not accrue to Talpa alone.

One of the two great steeples of the Basilica. In between the steeples is an ornate clock. Each steeple has two levels of bells, with four bells on each level. The tops of the steeples are covered with bright yellow ornamental tiles.

The altitude of Ameca is 1,175 m (3,855 ft) and Talpa is at 1,100 m (3,609 ft). Although the beginning and end of the pilgrims' route are at very nearly the same level, the country in between is like a roller coaster. There are four steep mountains which must be ascended and descended and all of them are considerably higher than either the beginning or end points of the route.

The dome of the Basilica is also covered with decorative tiles. The objects surrounding the dome which resemble stone vases are called finials. These are typical architectural features of the Neo-Classic style. Overall, the Basilica is a hybrid of the Neo-Classic and earlier Baroque styles.

The first mountain along the pilgrims' route is called Puerto Obispo and it rises to 1940 m (6365 ft). The path then drops steeply to 1400 m (4593 ft) before climbing again to Cerro Las Comadres at 1800 m (5906 ft). From there, a more gradual drop ends at 1300 m (4265 ft) before rising to Puerto del Espinazo, at 1950 m (6398 ft) the route's highest peak. There is then a steep drop to 1500 m (4921 ft) followed by a climb to Cruz de Romero (see Part 1) which tops out at 1700 m (5577 ft). Finally, there is a gradual descent to Talpa de Allende and the Basilica. Clearly, the pilgrim's progress from Ameca to Talpa is not for the faint of heart.

The main entrance contains several Baroque features. These include spiraling Solomonic columns topped by elaborate capitals with cupids on their corners. Between the columns is a niche containing the statue of a saint holding a religious banner. To the left of the entrance is a poster image of Nuestra Señora del Rosario in her full regalia. 

Prior to the Spanish "Spiritual Conquest", the Talpa area was considered sacred to the Earth Goddess known as Cihuacoatl (Snake Woman). She was a motherhood and fertility goddess and was associated with midwives and the sweat lodges where they practiced. Cihuacoatl was usually portrayed as a skull-faced old woman carrying a warrior's spear. To the Aztecs, childbirth was the female equivalent to male warfare. Women who died in childbirth were honored as fallen warriors. 

To the right of the entrance are two more Solomonic columns and another niche with a saint. This time the figure is a female, cradling a crucifix. I was unable to obtain any information about the identity of the female figure above, or the male saint on the other side of the entrance. If anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it.

Main nave & altar

View of the main nave toward the altar. My friend Catherine walks toward the altar wearing an outfit that coordinates nicely with the banners on the walls. Two other friends, Anthony and his wife Katherine, sit in the left foreground.

The Neo-Classic altar was heavily decorated with flowers when we visited. The main focus of the altar area is the niche containing the famous statue of Nuestra Señora del Rosario. She stands in a niche surrounded by columns and topped with a cupola.

The tiny statue wears an oversized crown surrounded by a sunburst halo. Her richly decorated gown is one of several that are used at different times of the year. The face of the little statue is barely visible under the crown. Sometime around 1570, according to the legend, this statue (minus the crown, halo, and gown) was brought from Michoacan to Talpa by Manuel San Martin, an evangelizing Franciscan. By 1644, the little figure was dilapidated and a visiting priest ordered it to be buried. However, the figure miraculously repaired itself in an event that came to be called the Renovación. For a fuller version of the story, see Part 1 of this series.

The Renovación was not the only miracle associated with the statue. Over the centuries, pilgrims have prayed to the statue for help with all sorts of problems, including cures from diseases, healthy children, successful harvests. Many believed that their prayers were answered. The annual number of pilgrims has grown to exceed millions each year. People who believe their prayers were answered sometimes return in later pilgrimages to offer thanks. Often they leave little hand-painted cards illustrating the incident that required the miracle. Some of these cards are displayed in the Museo de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, located just behind the Basilica.

View of the choir loft and ceiling at the back of the main nave. Chandeliers hang from the high, arched ceiling. The ceiling arches end at the top of a kind of false column called a pilaster. A pilaster is a decorative feature which does not support a load like a regular column.

Altars lining the side walls

Altar dedicated to San José, father of Jesus. The walls on both sides of the nave are lined with altars dedicated to various saints or versions of the Virgin Mary. San José wears a crown and holds the infant in his left arm. The Bible says very little about San José, other than his occupation as a carpenter and that he resided in Nazareth. Most of the stories about him were invented centuries after his death. Looking at the statue, I wonder what the humble carpenter would have thought about the rich clothes and the crown.

Altar to the Virgen de Guadalupe. The Virgen de Guadalupe is the patron of Mexico and especially of poor and indigenous people. Nearly every church I have visited in Mexico contains a painting or statue of her.

San Isidro Labrador is the patron of farmers and farmworkers. His title labrador means farmworker. San Isidro is usually portrayed wearing the simple clothes and accoutrements of a working man. Within the arch above the altar, a small triangle contains the Eye of Providence (also called the all-seeing eye of God). Beams of light extend out from the triangle. This is the same symbol found on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and on U.S. currency.

Musicians perform near the main altar. This a different group from those gathered in front of the atrium gates seen in an earlier photo. The fact that there was a service going on somewhat inhibited my ability to get all the photos I would have liked from the inside of the Basilica. I try to be respectful in these situations, so I used my telephoto zoom lens to get some of the photos.

This completes Part 2 of my Talpa de Allende series. I hope you have enjoyed it. 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