Across from the Balcones on Cuesta de San Jose is the 1763 chapel to St. Joseph on the Mountain. When built, the area looked much like the botanicals gardens do today, a rural cactus-laden area outside of town.
Then the street called Cuestra de San Jose was part of the Silver Route, moving silver back to Spain and receiving religious art, letters from home, cast iron beds, etc. from Europe. The chapel to St. Joseph on the Mountain was a place travelers could rest before continuing on to Alcocer (behind the mall) where they could exchange their mules before continuing on Queretaro.
Featured at the chapel is a sacred cross for traveling being honored this weekend. On Saturday, June 8 th , at 5PM is a procession through the neighborhoods of Azteca and Tecolote featuring mojigangas, indigenous dancing and music.
Then, throughout the night, the faithful arrive in droves closing off the street of Cuestra de San Jose to traffic. At dawn fireworks are launched starting an all-day celebration.
Following morning mass, at 11AM, indigenous dancing is displayed. At 1PM a procession through centro features even more indigenous dancing, mojigangas and music.
At 5PM Los Locos dance followed by fireworks at 10PM closing off our month long celebration of the cross in honor of the 1530 Battle of the Barbarians forever marking San Miguel as the center for the cult of the cross.
Joseph Toone is the Historical Society’s short-story award winning author of the SMA Secrets book series. All books in the series are Amazon bestsellers in Mexican Travel and Holidays. Toone is SMA’s expert and TripAdvisor’s top ranked historical tour guide telling the stories behind what we do in today’s SMA. Visit HistoryAndCultureWalkingTours.com, and JosephTooneTours.com.
