Chapel of Calvary

The Calvary Chapel was built at the devotion and expense of Fray Marcos Ramírez de Prado, Bishop of Michoacán, and was completed in 1666, as indicated by the inscription placed at that time on the tower's cube.

Data from the book “History of Pátzcuaro” by Manuel Tousaint, states that according to an ancient tradition, the chapel was built on the site where there was a yacata that contained the remains of Tariacuri, a prominent Purépecha chief.

In the first third of the 19th century, some maintenance and improvement work was carried out, including the following: another section was added to the tower with its weather vane, as there was no room for the bells that were made. An adjoining house was built to serve the chaplain in charge, as well as a room next to the vestry and a wall around it for his safety.

The interior of the church was redecorated by painting 37 yards of frieze and the main altar in perspective. Several images were purchased, a sculpture of Jesus Christ with his crown and tiaras for Saint John and Mary Magdalene, four prophets, the Holy Trinity and the Lord of Fainting, the main bell and two bells with fittings from Coalcomán and various ornaments related to the cult. In 1831 the road that goes up to the chapel was finished, measuring 200 yards long by six wide.

The Calvary chapel is located to the west of the town, on a prominent part of the Cerro del Estribo Grande. The location is typical of the chapels that receive the devotion of El Calvario, which always take advantage of a hill near the towns to stage the Via Crucis that ends with the crucifixion of Christ. This chapel culminates the street that starts from the church of San Francisco, where the Via Crucis begins. On one side of the street are the niches that indicate the stations. The festival in honor of the Virgin of Dolores takes place on a Friday before Good Friday. (Martinez, 2016)