The Church of the Protector of the Mother of God

The Church of the Defender of Our Lady was built in the XVI century on top of the Great Pyramid in Cholula. This place combines the religious traditions of the Indian and Spanish population, which makes the church a particularly revered place, attracting up to 200,000 pilgrims annually.

The church was built by the Spanish conquistadors in 1574. The main shrine of the temple was a small sculpture of Our Lady the Healer. The height of the figure is 27 centimeters, it is carved from wood and gilded. According to legend, the miraculous sculpture was brought to Mexico by the conquistador Juan de Villafuerte in 1519 from his native Basque Country. The Virgin Mary protected him along the way and healed several of his companions.

The church was built on the ancient Aztec altar of the goddess Nine Rains. Over time, the cult of the Indian goddess merged with Catholic traditions: for example, annually on September 8, the Rain Festival is held in the cathedral, when pilgrims pray in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary.