“Protected by the Virgin Mary,” they say. This is how the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Piedad, the “star of the south,” watches over Mexico City. Let’s step inside and uncover the layered history of this unique church.
The Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Piedad began as a humble hermitage in 1564. Juan González ordered it to be built. He was an interpreter for San Juan Diego during the Virgin of Guadalupe apparitions.
In 1595, Friar Cristobal Ortega established a convent here. He placed the image of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad on the altar. Over time, floods damaged the sanctuary and the revolutionary turmoil made things worse. One notable flood occurred in 1604.
In 1915, the temple was moved about 40 meters north to Calzada de la Piedad. The convent became a prison for “Vasconcelistas”. Later, it served as a hospital for war wounded. Eventually, it was dynamited.
In 1937, a new sanctuary was envisioned by Father Darío Pedral. The current Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Piedad was consecrated on July 1, 1937. Construction finished in 1957. On April 11, 1945, the first stone was blessed.
Enrique Langenscheidt designed the Santuario de la Piedad. The parishioners of La Piedad helped. It stands as one of the best examples of modern religious architecture.
The church replaced an older temple and monastery. The older church was the parish church for La Piedad Ahuehuetlan. This was an old village.
Evidence suggests it was a fishing village around 1550. The Dominican order received the island in 1595. This later became the Imperial College of La Piedad and Porta Coeli. It became a parish church in 1607.
By the late 1700s, the temple had become a major Marian center. After Mexican Independence in 1821, La Piedad town began to decline. It lost its indigenous name.
During the Reform Laws of 1857-61, the monastery closed. It continued some activities secretly. Around 1872, the French Cemetery was built. The Piedad River was formed as the lake shrank. The river and cemetery separated the area from the city. By the late 1800s, the Narvarte area developed separately.
In the 1940s, the area became Colonia Piedad Narvarte. The original temple was demolished in 1935. By 1940, only the side arch to the atrium remained. Around 1941, the altarpiece was found in the Churubusco Monastery basement. It was reinstalled in the Saint Sebastien Chapel in Chimalistac.
Construction on the mid-century modern church began in 1945. The 8th police precinct covered the old temple remains. This coincided with the Social Security baseball park construction. This park is now the Parque Delta Shopping Center. The Miguel Alemán Viaduct also began. This required piping the old Río de la Piedad.
The Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Piedad reflects the large public works of that era. The Viaducto opened in 1950. Mario Pani, a colleague of Langenscheidt, was completing monumental works. While perhaps not as famous, it remains unique. Its relative obscurity may stem from lingering memories of the previous temple. The angst of that loss might be reflected in its concrete form.
Don’t miss the impressive mural. It spans 700 square meters. Pedro Medina Guzman “Charro Medina” created it. It was completed in 1988 in two stages. As you leave, remember the Santuario de la Piedad. It is more than a church. It is a testament to faith and resilience.