Esquipulas

Esquipulas: colonial church

Esquipulas, town, southeastern Guatemala, in the central highlands near the borders of Honduras and El Salvador at an elevation of 3,018 feet (920 metres). The town itself is not large; it derives its great importance from its magnificent colonial church, now Central America’s greatest pilgrimage centre, built in 1737 by the archbishop of Guatemala to house the spectacular Black Christ. The figure, commissioned by Spanish conquistadors and first placed in a local church in 1595, was carved out of dark wood in 1594. It is now dressed in white satin and adorned with jewels. Major religious processions occur on January 15 and during Holy Week. Esquipulas is 80 miles (130 km) east of Guatemala City and is accessible by highway and by air. Pop. (2002) 18,368.