Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-07
MEXICAN LETTER.
Description of the Holy Metropolitan
and Other Churches OF Mexico.
Ihs Artists Work to be Seen Upon the
Wails-Pris ons and Their surround
ings-Beau' ifui scenery.
Special Correspondence Of the Gazette.


Special Correspondence OF the Gazette.
CITY OF MEXICO, No. 24.-The cathe-
dral, the Holy Metropolitan church Of
Mexico, consecrated as the church Of the
Assumption of the Virgin Mary, is built
upon or near the site of the Aztec tenn
pie, which was destroyed by the Span
iards when the city was conquered in
1921. The first church, very small
one, was built previous 10 the year 1925.
A few years after it was replaced by the
first cathedral, small edifice, but
spoken OF with great admiration by early
chTonlclers. This was also replaced by
the now existing building, the first stone
OF which was laid in 1913, but In order to
preserve the older building until the new
one should be erected, it was begun
little to the northwurd, so that Mexico
first cathedral stood in the open space
(atrium) in front of the present cathe-
drai. 1t measures from north TO south
3S1 feet, III feet from east to west and
its interior height is l79 feet. Its cost
was about 81 200, 900. The great bell,
nineteen feet high, in the western tower
cost $40 900. Its name is Santa Maria
de Guadalupe. The building is of stone,
the facade at the side of which rise the
towers, is divided by buttresses into
three portals, which are separated by
cornices into two divisions, Doric AMI
Ionic. The statues, frieZes. buses and
capitals are of white marble, which
makes pleasing effect with the gray
stone. The towers are 203 feet high.
each Is crowned by q bell shaped dome,
capped by spheres and crosses of stone.
The cOrnices beneath the towers serve as
pedestals for colossal statues OF the doc
tors of the church, and the patrlarchs of
mouastic orders; beneath the clocks are
biuzoned the arms of the republic, show
ing the controlling attitude of the state
toward the church. A garden has been
erected in front of the cathedral, which,
it is said, has greatly lessened its impos-
ing grandeur. One must admire 1t at
great distance or very close, but it looks
its best ut night with the
electric lights rejecting on the
trees in the foreground and
the dark blue srarlit sky i'll the back
presses the beho!der with awe. The IN
style. 1t is marred by its bare wooden
floors, and l must say it is as dirty a
church as is found in the city; no eeats,
and one must either kneel or stand, and
it seems that all the lower, as well as the
elite, patronize it. The nisles are di-
vided by twenty fiuted columns, which
support the elegant vaulted roof. The
central arches form Latin cross.
Within the dome Is pain ted the Assump
ton of the Virgin and other characters
of sacred history. The main altar in the
center is quite rich in decoration, but
the finest altar is the Los Reyes (the
kings. 1t is composed estirely of pant
ings, all in gilded frames. The finest
paintings are the Epiphany and the
Assumption. Beneath the altar lie the
heads of Hidalgo, Allende, ALBANIA and
JimeurZ. The altar del perden (of par
don) in the rear of the choir is in the
same style as the above-naned, but not
so rich. 1t has two good paintings, the
Candelaria and a San Sch .stian. by ut
is Eeliered) the celebrated woman artist
La Sumya. The choir Is inclosed III front
by handsome railing. The stalls are
richly carved in wood; the organs, I'M
carved cases, rise to the height OF the
arches of The aisles. The chapels on
both side of the cathedral are fourteen.
in number. The principal ones are: (lJ
San Felipe de Jesus, in which are sous
relies of this saint, and just outside theF
grating is the font in which he was bap-
tiZed. Within the chapel are the re-
mains and simple monument erected
to the memory of the unfortunate Agus-
tus Yturhide, first emperor of Mexico.
CD De las Religuias contains twelve
pictures of holy martyrs by
Juan de Herrera. (3) San Pedro.
in which are the remains OF
Mexico's frs: archbishop also of the
mysterious person, Gregoru Lopez, the
Mexican man with au iron mask cup
posed to have been son of Philip II.
The sacris,y is decorated by six great
paintings, which completely cover the
walls. The glory of Saint Michael, the
Immaculate Conception, the Triumph of
the Sacrament, and the Assumption are
among the best. In the meeting room
of the Archicofredin are two fine pict-
ures-The Last Supper and the Triumph
of Faith, together with collection of
the portraits Of all the archbishops of
Mexico.
In the chapter room are three of the
finest paintings which Mexico possesses:
A nicture by an unknown artist repre-
senting Don John o; Austrin irnploring
the help Of the Virgin at the battle of
Lepanto, Virgin by Pietro de Cortoua,
and Murilio' 3 Virgin Of Bethlehem.
Sagrarlo MetropolitanO-This church
Immediately adjoining the cathedral was
and still remains the first parish church.
The present building dates from the mid
die of the last century. replacing The
older one which was destroyed 10y fire.
This very elegant building communicates
with the cathedral by interior doors.
The rich facade contrasts agreeabiy with
the grauder and severer style of the
cathedral. The main altar Is of wood,