Esquipulas
Encyclopedia
Esquipulas is a town in the Guatemala
n department
of Chiquimula
on the border with Honduras
. It serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The town is famous for the Basilica of Esquipulas which houses the Shrine of the Cristo Negro (“Black Christ”).
sculptor Quirio Cataño presented it to the mayor of the city. There's another carving of the Black Christ by Quirio Cataño in Juayua
, El Salvador, and a sister pilgrimage site.
, with which a measure of peace finally returned to Central America. Although the 1987 treaty was signed in Guatemala City
, it bears the name Esquipulas.
, and in 1995, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the shrine, Pope John Paul II
proclaimed it "the spiritual center of Central America." Every year, thousands of pilgrims from Guatemala
, the United States
, Mexico
, Europe
and other Central America
n countries flock to pay homage to the dark wooden image of the crucified Christ, the most revered Catholic shrine in the region.
El Santuario de Chimayo
, a major Roman Catholic pilgrimage site in Chimayó
, New Mexico
, USA, is closely linked with Esquipulas.
Similar customs prevail at the sister shrine El Santuario de Chimayo
in the US.
In 1987 the Trifinio biosphere reserve
was created to protect the unique flora and fauna in the region.
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n department
Departments of Guatemala
||Guatemala is divided into 22 departments :#Alta Verapaz#Baja Verapaz#Chimaltenango#Chiquimula#Petén#El Progreso#El Quiché#Escuintla#Guatemala#Huehuetenango#Izabal#Jalapa#Jutiapa#Quetzaltenango#Retalhuleu#Sacatepéquez...
of Chiquimula
Chiquimula (department)
- Municipalities :# Camotán# Chiquimula# Concepción Las Minas# Esquipulas# Ipala# Jocotán# Olopa# Quezaltepeque# San Jacinto# San José La Arada# San Juan Ermita-External links:*...
on the border with Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. It serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The town is famous for the Basilica of Esquipulas which houses the Shrine of the Cristo Negro (“Black Christ”).
History
The city of Esquipulas was founded by the Spaniards between 1560 and 1570 with the name of Santiago de Esquipulas. The image of the Black Christ dates back to March 9, 1595, when the PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
sculptor Quirio Cataño presented it to the mayor of the city. There's another carving of the Black Christ by Quirio Cataño in Juayua
Juayúa
Juayúa is a municipality in the Sonsonate department of El Salvador.Juayua is a quaint little town up in the mountains, founded in 1577. The town's central plaza faces an old white cathedral that features a black Christ statue. This statue is a sister statue to that of the revered Basilica of...
, El Salvador, and a sister pilgrimage site.
Peace Agreement
Esquipulas was also the site of the initial meetings which led to the Esquipulas Peace AgreementEsquipulas Peace Agreement
The Esquipulas Peace Agreement was an initiative in the mid-1980s to settle the military conflicts that had plagued Central America for many years, and in some cases for decades. It built upon groundwork laid by the Contadora Group from 1983 to 1985. The agreement was named for Esquipulas,...
, with which a measure of peace finally returned to Central America. Although the 1987 treaty was signed in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, it bears the name Esquipulas.
The Cathedral
The cathedral at Esquipulas was proclaimed a Basilica in 1961 by Pope John XXIIIPope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
, and in 1995, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the shrine, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
proclaimed it "the spiritual center of Central America." Every year, thousands of pilgrims from Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and other Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n countries flock to pay homage to the dark wooden image of the crucified Christ, the most revered Catholic shrine in the region.
El Santuario de Chimayo
El Santuario de Chimayo
El Santuario de Chimayó is a Roman Catholic church in Chimayó, New Mexico, USA. This shrine, a National Historic Landmark, is famous for the story of its founding and as a contemporary pilgrimage site...
, a major Roman Catholic pilgrimage site in Chimayó
Chimayo, New Mexico
Chimayo is a census-designated place in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe Counties in the U.S. state of New Mexico; the community's name is more correctly pronounced and spelled Chimayó, a name that derives from a Tewa name for a local landmark, the hill of Tsi Mayoh...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, USA, is closely linked with Esquipulas.
Tierra Santa
Esquipulas is famous for its Tierra Santa (Holy Earth) clay tablets that are purchased by the pilgrims during Church festivals. The clay from the local deposits is cleaned and pressed into small cakes. Such clay is also known as tierra bendita, or Tierra del Santo. The popularity of this clay is attested by the many names (for example, akipula, cipula, askipula, kipula) that are used for such medicinal clay tablets all around Central America. Pilgrims sometimes eat the supposedly curative clay, or they rub themselves with it.Similar customs prevail at the sister shrine El Santuario de Chimayo
El Santuario de Chimayo
El Santuario de Chimayó is a Roman Catholic church in Chimayó, New Mexico, USA. This shrine, a National Historic Landmark, is famous for the story of its founding and as a contemporary pilgrimage site...
in the US.
In 1987 the Trifinio biosphere reserve
Trifinio biosphere reserve
The Trifinio biosphere reserve is located where El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet their border, thus the prefix tri in its name. It covers an area of 221 km² and was created in 1987 to protect the Montecristo's cloud forest and its rare flora and fauna...
was created to protect the unique flora and fauna in the region.