A total of 23 lead boxes accompanied by inscriptions in Latin is what makes up the great ‘divine treasure’ who was hidden for several years and was recently found inside the walls of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City.
These are small rectangular containers made of lead material that housed inside different paintings, wooden crosses, palm and clay and wax medallions.
“These boxes contain images of the patron saints who extend a cloak of protection to the cathedral enclosure. of our city”, commented the Ministry of Culture.
Although his discovery was reported this Friday, January 27, the location of the ‘divine treasure’ occurred at noon on December 30 when a clay tile that covered a niche facing north of the ceremonial enclosure fell off.
Inside that area, a small rectangular lead box was found with an inscription in Latin, considered the first discovery of a total of 23 boxes later found inside the wall.
A great treasure inside the wall…
The initial discovery, which accounts for the historical importance of the Metropolitan Cathedral, was reported to the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage Sites and Monuments (DGSMPC) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
“This finding is very exciting, it tells us about the final period of the construction of the cathedral, culminated by the architect Manuel Tolsá that, in the hypothesis of the researchers and theologians of the Cathedral, these boxes contain images of the protective saints that hang a cloak of protection to the cathedral complex of our city”.
This was announced by the general director of Cultural Heritage Sites and Monuments of the federal Ministry of Culture, Arturo Balandrano Campos, during the morning conference offered this Friday before the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
To continue with the restoration of the property, the intention is to return the 23 lead boxes to the place where they were found.
The treasure returns to the wall
Although the find has great cultural and religious value, the reconstruction work of the Metropolitan Cathedral will advance once the 23 lead boxes accompanied by inscriptions with religious images, crosses, palms, and clay and wax medallions return to their place of origin inside of the enclosure.
This will be possible once the INAH National Coordination for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage completes the process of exploration, registration and conservation of the contents of these heritage assets and protection boxes.
Metropolitan Cathedral, restoration and prevention against earthquakes
The discovery of the “divine treasure” was part of the restoration advances in the National Reconstruction Program after the earthquakes that occurred in 2017.
“We have attended to religious heritage assets that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List in the historic centers of Puebla, Oaxaca, and Mexico City,” added Balandrano Campos.
The representative of the Ministry of Culture explained that they have collaborated hand in hand with the Catholic Church to establish new protocols for the conservation and maintenance of the structures of the Metropolitan Cathedral around earthquake prevention.
“So that when new earthquakes come, the proper maintenance of these (religious) buildings allows the damage to not be as serious as it was in 2017,” he said.
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Finally, the specialist announced that the work is advancing and will conclude shortly with the reincorporation of the boxes to their niches of origin.
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