Gaze at the simple fortress-like exterior of the Sanctuary of Atotonilco before entering to see an explosion of vivid colors behind its white walls. Inside this 18th-century religious complex is a sumptuous collection of murals and frescoes that adorn walls, chapels and ceilings. The sanctuary is one of Mexico’s most revered Catholic sites, attracting thousands of visitors each week.
Study the details of the frescoes, many charting the life and death of Jesus Christ and parts of the history of the Spanish conquest of the New World. Some images are gruesome, including a depiction of a heavily bleeding Christ surrounded by dead and decaying bodies.
Look up at the ceiling for colorful paintings of the last few days of the life of Jesus, including his crucifixion. A painted epitaph of Father Neri Alfaro, the founder of the sanctuary, is located near the main altar where his body lies in a tomb in the wall. One of Father Neri's religious regimes was to whip himself to duplicate Christ’s suffering on the way to the cross. This act of self-flagellation is maintained by some of the pilgrims who come here.
View The Lord of the Column, a 19th-century wooden statue of Jesus covered in blood from the whippings he received. Every year, this important icon is carried from the sanctuary to San Miguel de Allende as part of the festivities before Easter.
Visit the richly decorated chapels, including the Camarin of the Apostles behind the main altar. It features statues of the Virgin Mary and the closest followers of Jesus Christ. Elsewhere in the sanctuary’s main church are many images of saints, monks, dragons, snakes, devils and demons.
This religious center is also of historical significance. In 1810, Mexican revolutionary Father Miguel Hidalgo took the sanctuary's banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe to fight under. See a replica of the flag in the sacristy.
The Sanctuary of Atotonilco is located in the town of Atotonilco, about 9 miles (14 kilometers) from San Miguel de Allende. Drive, take a taxi or ride on a bus.
