Today we were able to visit the church at the Plaza of Three Cultures for a second time as it was closed when we visited last Thursday. The second culture present here is this church dedicated to St. James, the patron saint of Spain. The Franciscan monastery attached to the church is where the Archbishop Zummaraga lived and where Juan Diego brought him the flowers and the tilma which today is enshrined in the basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Inside this colonial Cathedral of Santiago which dates back to 1524 (although it was rebuilt in 1609), there is the baptismal fountain of Juan Diego. Here we prayed the last day of our novena to St. Juan Diego along with a prayer of thanksgiving. I am so thankful for all the pilgrims who have shared so much with us on this journey.
After the visit to this church we spent our last pesos at an artisan craft market then caught our flight home. We arrived safely back in Portland and I pray that we will take this experience with us into our daily lives.
The outside of the church, with Aztec ruins in the foreground and modern day building in the background. (above)
Here the pilgrims are waiting to go inside the church (above) and to see the baptismal font of St. Juan Diego (below).
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