Sierra Gorda Part 3: The interior of the church at Misón Jalpan

The interior style of Misión Jalpan de Santiago is different than its facade. The church facade is New Mexican Baroque, sometimes called mestizo Baroque. In contrast, the interior is Neo-Classic, a style that came into favor in the late 18th century and continued into the 20th. The church is part of a Franciscan mission that was founded in 1744. The Franciscan friar Junipero Serra arrived in Jalpan in 1750 and directed the construction of this church, a project that lasted from 1751 to 1758.

In the last posting, I showed you the exterior of the church, including many details of the complex facade. This time, we'll take a peek inside at the architecture and decor, including some side chapels, statues, and the cloister area. If you'd like to check out a Google map showing how to reach the Magic Pueblo of Jalpan de Serra, see Part 1 of this series. If you'd like to see where the four other Franciscan mission churches are located in the Sierra Gorda, see Part 2.

The Nave and Main Altar

View from the church entrance into the nave toward the main altar. The single nave, which is the main room of the church, was redone in the Neo-Classic style. This happened sometime after 1770, when the Franciscan Order was required to turn the mission facilities over to the secular clergy. Simply put, the difference between Baroque and Neo-Classic is the difference between an emotional approach to art and architecture and one that is more intellectual. 

As a result of this change in styles during the late 18th and 19th centuries, many churches that were originally constructed as Baroque were gutted on the inside and remodeled with Neo-Classic features. However, as with this church, the exteriors usually retained their original Baroque appearance, unless the remodeling was the result of significant damage from disasters such as fires or earthquakes.

The apse containing the main altar clearly shows the Neo-Classic style. It is framed on the outside by two pilasters with two classical pillars on the inside. All four have Ionic capitals. These are features that often appear in Neo-Classic architecture. The inner columns border a painting of the Virgen de Guadalupe and a crucifix. On either side of these, between the pilasters and columns, are statues of San Joaquin (left) and Santa Ana (right), the parents of Mary, mother of Jesus. Under the crucifix is the reliquary and at the very top of the retablo, under the small arch, is a statue of God in front of a sunburst.  

The placement of the Virgen de Guadalupe  in the center of the retablo is another reminder, along with her statue on the facade, of her pervasive influence in Mexico. Her image appeared on a banner used by the insurgent forces fighting against the Spanish during the Independence War (1810-21). It was carried again by various factions during the Revolution (1910-17). She is considered the patrona (patroness) of the whole Mexican Nation, particularly its poor and indigenous people. I have visited hundreds of churches in Mexico and have nearly always found a painting or statue of her, often draped with the national flag.

The reliquary is guarded by two angels. A reliquary is a container for sacred relics, such as the ashes or bones of a saint or pieces of clothing that may have come into contact with a holy person. Reliquaries are usually found on or near an altar. The term comes from the 12th century word "relik". Reliquaries have been used since the earliest centuries of the Christian era. In the 5th century, a reliquary was usually stored within a stone container for its protection. Over the centuries, many reliquaries were created as objects of religious art and were proudly displayed, as this one is. 

Some relics are no doubt genuine, at least in that they come from the person to which they are attributed. However, trafficking in spurious relics is a very ancient custom. Thousands of pilgrims travel long distances in hopes that a visit to a relic will result in holy intervention in their problems. During the Middle Ages, the funds that church officials collected during these visits could be so substantial that famous relics were sometimes stolen from one church for use by another. This occurred often enough that there was actually a term for it: furta sacra ("holy theft").

The Transept

The church dome stands over the place where the transept crosses the nave. The ceiling inside a dome is richly decorated. What appears to be the design of a flower in the center is actually a large chandelier, viewed from directly below. The octagonal dome is supported by four arches. Where they meet the dome are four triangular spaces which contain scenes from the legend about the Virgen de Guadalupe's first appearance in 1531.

Chapel at the end of one of the transept's two arms. The transept's arms form two rooms at right angles to the nave, with altars at their ends and pews for seating. A statue of Jesus stands in the niche behind the altar above. Another statue of Jesus hanging from a cross stands on the right. There are actually two altars in this room, which is somewhat unusual. The second is on the wall to the right of the crucifix. 

The second altar in the transept. The figure of Jesus on the cross is quite detailed anatomically and drips with painted blood. I haven't been able to identify the figure in the niche behind this altar, but it doesn't appear to be Jesus. Below the statue is a painting of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Soriano (Our Lady of Sorrows of Soriano). She is the patrona of the city of Querétaro.

Chaple of the Holy Child of Mezclita

A large doorway on the side of the nave opens into another chapel. This one is devoted to the Santo Niño de Mezclita (Holy Child of Mezclita).  This small statue of Jesus as a baby is associated with various miracles and draws pilgrims from around the Sierra Gorda and elsewhere. Throughout the year, people visit the chapel and leave notes asking for help with various problems or thanking the Santo Niño for good outcomes from previous requests. For the story of how the statue passed through various hands before ending up at the Jalpan mission, see Part 2 of this series.

Santo Niño de Mezclita was sculpted by Andrés Zavala in the early 20th century. The statue is displayed in various sumptuous gowns, which are changed according to the occasion. The annual fiesta devoted to the Santo Niño is attended by thousands of people. Pilgrimages begin on December 28 from pueblos all over the Sierra Gorda. The pilgrims arrive in Jalpan on January 5 for the fiesta, which officially begins on the 6th. 

The night of the 5th, thousands of people sleep in the open on the atrium in front of the church, despite the rain and cold typical of that time of year. In the morning, they are roused by bells and cohetes (explosive rockets). During the day, the statue is paraded through town in a procession that finally ends back at the church, where the Santo Niño is placed back in its niche.

Other Statues

Statue of Jesus, with various items tucked in his belt. He wears a crown of thorns and his face has a ghastly pallor, as if he has been dead and has just risen. The items in his belt appear to include rolled up notes, probably asking for help. When visiting Mexico's Catholic churches, I am often struck by the apparent secondary position that Jesus occupies. He is often tucked in a side chapel or, in this case, off in a corner, Usually, the central figure is one of the versions of the Virgin Mary or one of the many saints. 

As a person raised in the Protestant faith (although non-practicing today), this has always puzzled me. In the Presbyterian church I attended with my parents, Jesus was always the central figure, and usually the only one. Catholicism, by contrast, is hugely populated with holy figures and Jesus sometimes seems almost an afterthought.

Statue of San Junipero Serra, the Franciscan friar who built this church. He also oversaw the construction of the four other mission churches in the Sierra Gorda, although the actual work was done by Christianized indigenous Pame, directed by resident friars. The mission itself was founded by Pedro Perez de Mezquia on April 21, 1744. In the years between 1744 and 1750, five other friars presided over the mission, changing almost yearly. 

It was a turbulent period with much conflict between the native people and Spanish settlers. Junipero Serra arrived in 1750 and immediately began work to build this church. He also settled many of the issues between the Pame people and the Spaniards and recovered much of the land the colonists had stolen from the natives. Junipero Serra remained here until 1758, the longest serving friar in the Jalpan mission's history. 

The Cloister

The cornice over the entrance to the cloister has more Baroque decorations. The Virgin is guarded by two broad-winged angels and vines with red flowers curl off in both directions. A cloister in a mission like this had several functions. It was the residence of the friars, as well as the place where their meals were prepared and eaten. In terms of work, it provided space for offices and a chapter house where the friars could meet to discuss mission business. The cloister also included storage space for the mission's provisions. Its covered walkways provided an area for exercise and recreation, especially in bad weather. 

The cloister's courtyard contains a fountain and gardens. Even within a bustling town like Jalpan, this area still has an aura of cool tranquility. This would have been a place where friars could engage in study, contemplation, and prayer. However, much of the work of the friars involved evangelization and religious education. This would have taken place during visits to sometimes distant native villages, involving circuitous journeys through the surrounding valleys and mountains of the Sierra Gorda.

Wooden benches line the walls of the arcade that surrounds the courtyard. In colonial times, benches like these would have been made by native carpenters. Because of the isolation of the missions, self-sufficiency would have been the rule. Only those few items that could not be made at the mission itself, or in local villages, would have been brought in over the long arduous trails from Querétaro.  

This completes Part 3 of my series on the Sierra Gorda. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below. If you leave a question, please include your email address so that I may respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim