The Cuernavaca Cathedral

Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Formerly a Franciscan Monastery, Cuernavaca’s imposing Cathedral — la Catedral de la Asunción — is situated on the corner of Hidalgo and Morelos streets only a couple of blocks from the town square, or zócalo.

Construction of the Cathedral was begun in the early-to-mid 1500′s on the grounds of the Convento de la Asunción, which was established here in 1525 by the first twelve Franciscan friars who arrived in Mexico.

The courtyard includes an open chapel from which the friars preached to the indigenous peoples and performed mass marriages. The open chapel was dedicated by the Spanish to Saint Joseph.

Felipe de Jesus (Philip of Jesus), Mexico’s first martyr and saint who in 1596 was crucified along with 26 other friars by Japanese Emperor Hideyoshi, is memorialized in a series of Japanese-style frescos in the Cathedral, which were uncovered in during renovation work done in the 1950′s and which depict Saint Felipe’s journey to the Orient with a group of Franciscan friars.

Mariachi masses are held at the Cathedral on Sundays at 11 a.m.