first church erected in the city of Mexico. During the next three years after the capture of the city no edifice was built for church service, but a hall in the howe of Cortés was set apart for the purpose of divine worship. This place was soon required as a store-room for arms, and a chapel was established in a narrow corridor, inappropriate both to religious solemnity and the requirements of the worshippers, many of whom had frequently to stand outside unprotected from the sun or rain.[1]
The Franciscan order claim to have founded the first church, but some doubt exists as to their priority from the fact that in the books of the cabildo it is recorded that on May 30, 1525, a piece of land for an orchard was granted to Fray Pedro de Villagran, who is styled the parish priest "of the church of this city."[2] It is not unreasonable to conclude that Cortés, previous to his departure, marked out the site and took measures for the erection of a church, which was begun during his absence, and completed at a later date.
- ↑ Cortés, Residencia, i. passim; Motolinia, Hist. Ind., 101.
- ↑ The same book proves that, in August 1524, the hospital of Jesus was founded and a church attached to it. Alaman maintains that the parish church and this one were the first established. Disert., ii. 133. Orozco y Berra, quoting the same authority, draws the conclusion that in the last months of 1524, after Cortés had left for Honduras, the first church was built. Mex. Not. Ciud., 69. Icazbalceta considers that hardly any doubt exists that the first church was not built until after the arrival of the Franciscans. Salazar, Mex. en 1554, 184-202; Torquemada, iii. 35-6, According to Vetancurt, the name of St Joseph was given to the parochial church. Trat. Mex., 6. The assertions of Mendieta and Torquemada, who advance the claim of the Franciscans, are disputed by Sigüénza y Góngora and Alaman. They are, moreover, at variance with Herrera, who plainly attributes to Cortés the establishment of the principal church. Herrera's statement — dec. iii. lib. iv. cap. vi-i. — may, however, be reconciled with that of Mendieta, by interpreting it to mean that only the initiatory steps were taken by the conqueror. Mendieta asserts that the church was built in 1525, 'con mucha brevedad; porque el gobernador D. Fernando Cortés puso en la edificacion mucha calor.' Hist. Ecles., 222. Cortés, however, was in Honduras at that time. According to evidence given by witnesses in his residencia it would appear that it was built during his absence in Honduras; though Ixtlilxochitl claims that his ancestor of the same name, after the return of the expedition, rendered great aid in its construction by supplying both labor and materials. The house for the Franciscans had been already begun, and after the completion of the church Ixtlilxochitl assisted the friars in the erection of their buildings. Hor. Crueldades, 114-16.
