Postcard from Morelia, Mexico: A wedding cake turned inside out

Above: Santuario de la Virgen de Guadalupe

Desiring to appeal to the indigenous population, the Catholic Church hired native craftsmen to complete the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the outskirts of Morelia more than three centuries ago. Dedicating it to the Virgin of Guadalupe indicates the desire to appeal to the indigenous population.

The 18th-century Baroque façade might be plain vanilla, but it’s like a wedding cake turned inside out. The interior serves up a bountiful bouquet of colorful icing doodads, an indigenous translation of Rococo. Stunning polychromed clay flowers cover the walls and ceilings. The spectacular glamming up of the sanctuary was not carried out until 1915.

Medallions below the dome depict the 1531 miraculous appearance of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego. Diego was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1990, and most locals refer to the church as San Diego.

Huge murals, installed in 1975 to replace earlier ones dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, portray Franciscan friars’ conversions of natives to Catholicism, their efforts to transform the New World into a land of model European-style citizens.

Naturally, the setting is popular for weddings. It should eliminate any need to spend mountains of money on floral arrangements to brighten up the ceremonies.