Temple of Solitude and the old Indian Hospital

Baptismal font immersion Mexico, Evangelization Tzintzuntzan.

Within the same Atrium of the Olive Trees, a few steps from the former convent, you will find an architectural complex that holds the two most closely guarded secrets of Tzintzuntzan: the Temple of Solitude and the old Hospital of Indians.

The Mystery of the Broken Urn Upon entering the Baroque church (17th century), head towards the altar. There rests the Lord of the Holy Burial, an ancient sculpture of Christ that, according to the unwavering faith of the locals, it is alive and continues to grow. The legend will give you goosebumps: parishioners claim that the image has grown larger over the years, even breaking the glass case that protected it with its feet. Although the technical explanation suggests that the sugarcane paste (ultralight pre-Hispanic material) expands with temperature changes; the people venerate this miracle every Good Friday, when the light image (approx. 15 kg) comes out in silent procession.

🏥 The Indian Hospital and the Immersion Pool Upon exiting through the east side, you will enter the area of Old Indian Hospital, founded by the humanist vision of Don Vasco de Quiroga. Within its adobe walls and central courtyard, you will find an invaluable archaeological and religious treasure:

The Baptismal Font of Immersion: 💧 This is perhaps the only one of its kind recorded in all of Mexico. Imagine the historical context: in the 16th century, the friars couldn't keep up with baptizing the thousands of Purépecha people who were converting to the new faith. They didn't use the small fonts we know today; they used this large basin for baptisms. by immersion (full body), in the style of the first Christians. To stand before it is to stand before the birth of the spiritual mestizaje of Michoacán.

Next to it, you'll see the Open Chapel isolated, designed precisely to officiate mass before those crowds that could not fit in the closed temples.

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This space is a time capsule of the early years of the spiritual conquest.

Expert tip: Look at the feet of the Christ figure inside the reliquary to see if you notice the "growth." Then, go to the Immersion Font and try to imagine the scene of thousands of people gathered in this courtyard 500 years ago. It's a striking contrast: the mass faith of the past (the Font) versus the devotional faith of the present (the Christ figure).