Mexico City
| Mexico City | |
| Type: | Capital city |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Subdivision: | Mexico City |
| Founded: | |
| Total Population: | 9,209,944 |
| Catholic Population: | — |
| Catholic %: | — |
| Parishes: | — |
| Patron Saint: | Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe; primary patroness of Mexico and the Americas) |
| Catholicism Introduced: | |
| Church Status: | Active |
| Historic: | Yes |
| Official Languages: | |
| Notable Catholic Sites: | Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Mexico City (Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de María Santísima), Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (original chapel site) |
| Catholicism Status: | — |
| Website: | Official Website |
Mexico City (Ciudad de México), the capital of Mexico, is one of the largest and most historically significant cities in the Western Hemisphere, located in the Valley of Mexico at an elevation of approximately 2,240 meters.
As of 2025 estimates, the city proper has a population of approximately 9,209,944 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Mexico (Primatial See of Mexico) and holds unparalleled Catholic importance as the site of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531, making the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe the most visited Marian shrine in the world and a spiritual center for the Americas.
History
Mexico City’s Catholic heritage is deeply rooted in the evangelization of the New World and the Guadalupe event.
Early settlement
The city was founded by the Aztecs as Tenochtitlan in 1325 on an island in Lake Texcoco. After the Spanish conquest in 1521, it was rebuilt as Mexico City and became the capital of New Spain.[1]
Catholic evangelization
Christianity arrived with the Spanish in 1519–1521. The decisive event was the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the indigenous convert Saint Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill in December 1531. According to the Nican Mopohua and established tradition, Mary appeared four times, leaving her image miraculously imprinted on Juan Diego’s tilma (cloak).
The first chapel was built in 1531–1533, and devotion spread rapidly, leading to the mass conversion of indigenous peoples. The present Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (completed in 1976) is the fifth structure on the site and can accommodate over 10,000 worshippers.
The original image is preserved there. The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, begun in 1573 on the site of the former Aztec Templo Mayor and completed in 1813, is the largest cathedral in the Americas and the seat of the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico (erected 1530, elevated 1546). The historic center, including the cathedral and former basilica, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Modern faith life
As of recent statistics (around 2022–2023), the Archdiocese of Mexico reports approximately 7.5–8 million Catholics (roughly 80–85% of the diocesan population), with over 400 parishes. Mexico remains majority Catholic, though secularization and evangelical growth have increased.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe receives 10–20 million pilgrims annually, with the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12) drawing millions in a single day. The cathedral hosts major national liturgies.
Geography and demographics
Mexico City lies in the Valley of Mexico with coordinates at 19.4326, -99.1332 and an elevation of about 2,240 meters. It has a subtropical highland climate. The city proper covers 1,485 km². Population approximately 9,209,944 (2025 estimate).
Catholic demographics align with archdiocesan figures of 80–85% affiliation, though practice rates vary in this vast, diverse metropolis.
Parishes
The Archdiocese of Mexico oversees more than 400 parishes and numerous shrines. The city features hundreds of historic and active Catholic churches.
A selection of the most historically or sacramentally significant ones includes:
- Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe — the national shrine and most visited Marian basilica in the world.
- Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Mexico City — the primatial cathedral and largest in the Americas.
- Church of San Francisco — historic Franciscan church.
- Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (original chapel site on Tepeyac Hill).
For the complete and up-to-date list of parishes in the Archdiocese of Mexico, consult the official archdiocesan directory at arquidiocesismexico.org.mx.[2]
Government and culture
Mexico City is governed as a federal entity with its own constitution. Culturally, Catholic heritage dominates the historic center, with Baroque and neoclassical churches, convents, and religious art from the colonial period. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 is the most important religious event in Mexico, with massive pilgrimages.
Notable Catholic figures
- Our Lady of Guadalupe, according to tradition, appeared to Saint Juan Diego in 1531; primary patroness of Mexico and the Americas (proclaimed by multiple popes).
- Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (canonized 2002), the first indigenous saint of the Americas.
- Historical archbishops of Mexico, including figures involved in evangelization and social issues.
Dynamic content
Saints
This list of saints dynamically from the data in the Saints cargo table.
| Saint | Birth Place | Death Place | Notable Address 1 | Notable Address 2 | Notable Address 3 | Notable Address 4 | Notable Address 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blessed Cristobal | Atlihuetzia, Tlaxcala, Mexico | Atlihuetzia, Tlaxcala, Mexico | Atlihuetzia, Tlaxcala, Mexico | Tlaxcala, Mexico | Mexico City (Tenochtitlan), Mexico | ||
| Blessed Dario Acosta Zurita | Cuitzeo del Porvenir, Michoacán, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Cuitzeo del Porvenir, Michoacán, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Michoacán, Mexico | ||
| Blessed María Concepción Cabrera de Armida | Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico | |||||
| Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro | Guadalupe, Zacatecas, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Guadalupe, Zacatecas, Mexico | |||
| Blessed Virgin Mary | Tradition places her in Nazareth or Jerusalem | Tradition places her Dormition/Assumption in Jerusalem or Ephesus) | Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel | Church of the Dormition, Mount Zion, Jerusalem | House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, Turkey | Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico | Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, Lourdes, France |
| Saint Alfonso Rodríguez Olmedo | Pánuco region, Tamaulipas, Mexico | Caazapá, Paraguay | Colegio Máximo de San Pedro y San Pablo, Calle de Donceles 30, Centro Histórico, Mexico City, Mexico | Plaza de la Independencia, Asunción, Paraguay | Reducción de Loreto, Caraguatay, Paraguay | ||
| Saint José Sánchez del Río | Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico | Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico | Church of St. James the Apostle, Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico | Our Lady of the Mount Church, 6917 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, IL 60402, USA | Salesian Institute "Ángela Segovia de Serrano", Barrientos, Mexico City, Mexico | ||
| Saint Juan Diego | Cuautitlán, Texcoco, Viceroyalty of New Spain (now Mexico) | Mexico City, Viceroyalty of New Spain (now Mexico) | Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Plaza de las Américas 1, Gustavo A. Madero, 07050 Mexico City, Mexico | Cuautitlán Parish Church, Cuautitlán, State of Mexico, Mexico | Secular Franciscan House, Mexico City, Mexico | ||
| Saint Junípero Serra | Petra, Majorca, Spain | Carmel-by-the-Sea, New Spain | San Diego, New Spain | Mexico City, New Spain | |||
| Saint Miguel Pro | Guadalupe, Zacatecas, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Calz. de la Virgen de Guadalupe 1, Gustavo A. Madero, 07050 Mexico City, Mexico | Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia, Colonia Santa María la Ribera, Miguel Hidalgo, 06400 Mexico City, Mexico | Seminarío Conciliar de Guadalajara, Av. Hidalgo 2401, Col. Zona Universitaria, 44260 Guadalajara, Mexico | Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 4211 S. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60609, United States | Blessed Miguel Pro Catholic Academy, 2040 W. 69th St, Chicago, IL 60636, United States |
| Saint Rafael Guizar Valencia | Cotija de la Paz, Michoacán, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico | Cotija de la Paz, Michoacán, Mexico | Guatemala; Cuba; Colombia (years of exile) | ||
| User:Kolbe/Sandbox4 | Cuautitlán, Mexico State, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Tepeyac Hill, Mexico City, Mexico | Cuautitlán Parish Church, Cuautitlán, Mexico State, Mexico |
Parishes
This list of parishes dynamically from the data in the Parishes cargo table.
| ShortName | Diocese | Deanery | MailingAddress | ParishWebsite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Ambrose Church | Archdiocese of Mexico | Mexico City Deanery | Calle Durango 90, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico | https://www.arquidiocesismexico.org.mx |
Related
- Mexico
- Archdiocese of Mexico
- Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Mexico City