Tlaxcala: Cradle of the Faith in Mexico

On the pulpit of the Cathedral of Tlaxcala is a very old inscription that reads: “Aqui tubo principio el Sto Evangelio en este Nuevo Mundo” - “Here had its beginning the Gospel in this New World”.

The Pulpit

The Spanish Conquistadores advanced on Tenochtítlan from the Caribbean coast via Tlaxcala. Cortez’s troops defeated several subject nations of the Mexica people (roughly what we call the Aztecs). These defeated nations, like the Tlaxcaltecas, joined the Spanish. Cortez couldn’t have defeated Moctezuma without their help. The Conquistadores were accompanied by their chaplains: priests and friars. Some of these priests were looking to make their fortune; others were interested in converting the Indians. The sword and the cross conquered together…

The interior of the Cathedral

Chapel of San Francisco

Having been almost slaves of the Mexica Empire, most were quite happy to go to war against their old rulers. So much so that the tlaxcaltecas, after participating in the defeat of the Mexicas on the 12^th of August 1521, returned to Tlaxcala. After several years when they converted, the Assumption of Mary was adopted as their patronal feast (The feast falls on the 15^th of August, three days after “their victory over Tenochtítlan-Mexica alongside their allies, the Spaniards”). The Cathedral of Tlaxcala is dedicated to the Assumption.

The Main Altar

Interestingly Tlaxcala was considered a republic, vassal directly of the Spanish Crown, whereas the other provinces were part of the viceroyalty of “New Spain”, which in its turn was a vassal state of Spain.

When Franciscan friars arrived in 1524 they began the conversion of the Indians. They constructed an “open chapel” to facilitate this. Apparently the Indians were uncomfortable in an enclosed church. This building underwent several rebuilds in the early 17^th century, but still exists. Baptisms were carried out here.

The Open Chapel

Inside the Cathedral exists an old baptismal font hewn from rock. An inscription claims that the first baptisms of four Indian “princes” took place in the font in 1520. One of their godfathers was Hernán Cortéz, the captain of the Conquistadores.

Baptismal Font - from 1520

In 1541 Mary appeared on a hill, Ocotlán, overlooking Tlaxcala. There seems to have been some confusion between the Assumption of Mary and the Immaculate Conception – perhaps because the Indians had heard of the Assumption and adopted this devotion, but seen a painting of the Immaculate Conception and copied that. The statue in the shrine at Ocotlán is of the Immaculate Conception! An easy mistake to make!

The Interior of the Shrine of Ocotlán

The Assumption/Immaculate Conception...

Below the Cathedral is the bullring. It is the oldest in Mexico. There was a group of kids, practicing their manoeuvres. A lad with a rake was the bull; the toreador used a cape and a small sword. Father Alejandro showed us some moves – learnt while a lad himself on the family bull ranch.

The bullring from the Cathedral

Peter has a go with the cape.

The tower is the bell-tower of the Cathedral - and a Scotsman's stand (apologies to Willy!)

A raging bull!

The Tunnel

 Alejandro shows how it's done!

 A video of the kids in the bullring

Base Camp for the Conquest: Tlaxcala

Some time ago Alejandro, a Mexican Marist working in Rome, was home on holiday. He invited us to visit his family’s ranch. On the way there we stopped off in Tlaxcala, a small city not too far from Mexico City.

On the Plaza - Tlaxcala

What I want to show you are the murals that decorate the Municipal building. Murals are central to modern Mexican Art – the most famous being the murals of Diego Rivera, a socialist whose murals were a social commentary on the Mexico of the time. The murals in Tlaxcala were painted by Desiderio Hernandez Xochitiotzin. 

An overview of the stairway

A depiction of  pre-Conquest religious rites

In contrast to Rivera, Hernandez was a staunch Catholic – one of his sons was ordained a priest and taught Alejandro in the Seminary.

Pre-conquest Aztec foods - including nopales (cactus leaves) and tunas (cactus fruit) left bottom.

Quetzalcoatl - the white, plumed diety. Some historians maintain that Moctezuma thought Quetzalcoatl had arrived in the person of Cortéz

The Conquest of Mexica by Cortéz. The woman standing behind is horse is Malinche - Cortéz's common law wife.

Building began on the Municipality (Palacio de Gobierno - Palace of Government) in 1545. The murals are much more recent! They recount the history of Tlaxcala, the base from which the Spanish began the conquest of Tenochtitlan (the Aztec empire). The murals also recount more modern Mexican history.

The battle for Tenochtitlan - 1521

 The bishop of Tlaxcala, Fray Julian Garces petitioned Pope Paul III for protection for the Indigenous Peoples. The Bull "Sublimis Deus" 1537, defended their rights to freedom, property and respect.

 

1810. The parish priest of Dolores Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla  begins the first Mexican Revolution against the Spanish with the "Cry of Dolores". He is later shot by the Spanish.

   

Tlaxcala also has the dowdiest Cathedral I've ever seen. It's dowdy because it's the original parish church. Some of the conquistadores were god-parents at early baptisms.