Our Lady of Mercy church (Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Merced)

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This church is located at Independencia # 82, quite close to where my rental house was located. The Plazuela de la Merced, a small square with benches, is located behind the church. I used it often as my ‘back yard’ & spent a lot of time there. There is also a great bakery there on Progreso ;o)

The Inquisition*:
The Plazuela de la Merced was also known as the Plaza of Hell because the judgments & executions of the Inquisition were held here. Although records are incomplete, one historian estimates that about 50 people were executed during the Mexican Inquisition including 29 people executed between 1571 and 1700 for practicing the Jewish religion. (I'm not sure if this is the Mexico total or the numbers for Queretaro?)

*The Inquisition was basically a tribunal court system once used by the Catholic Church and some Catholic monarchs to root out, suppress and punish heretics. These were baptized members of the church who held opinions contrary to the Catholic faith. Because of its association with torture and execution, inquisition remains a controversial and difficult subject. More info:
http://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/spanish-inquisition1.htm

Short video of Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Merced

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Photos

The exterior
Statue of Our Lady of Mercy is in the top niche.
There's a dome which isn't visible in this photo.

Main altar
The original church & hospice (care home, retirement home) , which included a hospital, was built on nearby Altamirano. Some sculptures from the former hospital & chapel are in this new church including the image of Our Lady of La Merced presiding over the main high altar. I think the current building also includes a retirement home.

The first stone of the new church was laid in 1857 & the church consecrated on 23 May 1879.

Frescoed walls & ceilings

Festival to the patron saint, Our Lady of Mercy, is celebrated annually on September 24th. The Mercy Friars order, which was founded in 1736 in Mexico, were fierce defenders of Independence movement.

The The sculpture in the niche on the right features a seated Virgin holding the infant Jesus in her arms, with a boy & a girl beside her.

View to the choir loft
in swapped RGB channels

There was a Quinceañera being celebrated the Saturday I shot these photos. A Quinceañera is the celebration of a girl's 15th birthday in parts of Latin America & and elsewhere in communities of people from Latin America. This birthday marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincea%C3%B1era

Map
The blue circle was the location of my rental house. The great bakery was on Progreso.

Comments

[Fred Perry]

Colourful !!
This is certainly a colourful church, Rainy. You've covered pretty well everything, and I like the way you've included the girl's 15th birthday. Nicely done!

[Ben H]

Bright colours
which I love!