San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-07
TREASURES OF PRICELESS
VALUE ARE STORED IN OLD
CATHEDRAL.S AND CHURCHES
Catholic Edifices in Mexico Possess Architecture
Value That Cannot Be Rivaled by Any Ecclesi-
..aa- astical Structure in the Americas.

Mexico City. Jan. GA recent gov
eminent report states that there are
within the limits of this country S446
churches dedicated to the worship of
Christ according to the Catholic faith.
This statement comprehends only
those edifiees which pertain to the ma
confiscation of church property dictated
in the epoch of President Benito
Juarez, and therefore does not take
which have been returned TO the keep
ing and ownership of the various or
derS composing the Catholic church.
The calculated fiscal value of the
church edifices is returned by the gov
eminent in the sum of one million
pesos, or 100000, which amounts to
only about $50 per building. This
certainly cannot be considered an ex-
cessive valuation when il is taken into
consideration that among them all
there are but few church edifices the
actual value of which would fall under
several thousand dollars each, while
included among them are the msgnifi-
cent cathedrals of Mexico, Puebla,
Morelia, Guadalajara and others
whose individual values go we'll over
a million dollars each.
Have Architectural Value.
Some Of these magnificent temples
possess an architectural value which
cannot be rivaled by any ecclesiastical
structure of any faith in the Ameri-
cas-, while in them are conserved paint
ings, furniture, ornaments, organs and
other equipment Of almost incalculable
wealth, which is not taken into consid-
Grafton in any estimate Of the value of
the buildings themselves.
Although the churches have been
despoiled of much of their wealth by
sacrilegious hands during the many
revolutions, there still remain works
Of art and articles of virtue which
run well into the millions. It is well
authenticated that the cathedral AT
Puebla possesses a small Murillo for
which it has refused $4,000. while
the cathedral in this city has a paint
ing Of Murillo which is practically
priceless. One of the other we'll known
cathedrals is reputed to possess twenty
one tons Of silver in its altar and
chancel ratings and the newels of
them. The wealth Of centuriessold
Vestments stored away in some of the
cuurcnes equal the value of the build
lngs themselves, while the gold leaf
used in adornment is more than a
kings ransom.
Treasure In Walls.
But all Of the wealth of the churches
| OF Mexico is not on exhibition or
stored away in musty closets. Tradi.
non says that, when the reform law.
allowed the confiscati)n Of much Of
the superflous wealth of the churches
Just before the government Officers
reached the most notorious deposits "a
churchly wealth some Of th, mosi
valuable pieces disappeared and IL !,
probable that if the thick walls Of
some of these edifices were fuIIv cx,
plored they would reveal n store al
treasure which the foresight of fbt
priests kept from falling into sacriIeg
lous hands. This is believed no IL
particularly true of the great cathedra
N this city, which has been plac,
oil Christian worship since 1927.
FROM time to time the government
returns to the ecclesiastical authorize,
one or more Of the edificcs, but MANY
Oh them. particularly here in Mexico
City, have been put 10 secular use enc
me voices Of workmen and he clatte,
OF machinery has taken the place q
the chants Of the monks and priests