Mexican churches mark the anniversary of deadly quakes with remembrance and lessons for the future

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Carmen Chávez has a clear answer for those wondering why she and her partner chose to get married on Sept. 19 — the anniversary of two deadly earthquakes that struck Mexico 32 years apart.

“This was a tragic date for me,” said Chávez, who remembers how buildings collapsed in downtown Mexico City 40 years ago. “So I want to give this day a new meaning. From now on, it will mark the beginning of our life together.”

There is no official consensus on the overall death toll from the 1985 and 2017 earthquakes. Some estimates put the total figure at more than 12,000, but the real number remains unknown.

The coinciding dates fuel anxiety for many, especially after a third, less damaging quake hit the country on Sept. 19, 2022. But seismologists and researchers say there is no physical reason for the concurrence of major earthquakes on a specific date.

As Chávez’s wedding ceremony ended Friday morning, police closed off nearby streets to traffic for an earthquake drill. Meanwhile, exhibits, lectures and Masses took place all over the city to remember the quakes’ victims.

Mexico’s flag was flown at half staff outside Mexico City’s cathedral. A message was posted on its social media channels: “Those days left us wounded, but they also taught us that solidarity is greater than fear.”

Some churches still bear scars from quakes

The Catholic venue that Chávez and her partner chose for their wedding carries a deep significance on this particular date.

The San Juan de Dios church withstood the 8.1 magnitude earthquake of 1985. However, its structure was severely damaged in 2017, forcing it to shut down. It reopened in late 2024, after most of its restoration was completed, though some interior work is still pending.

Across the plaza, another sanctuary, Santa Vera Cruz, remains closed to the public. No reopening date has been announced, but Monsignor Juan Carlos Guerrero, in charge of both parishes, hopes it can welcome visitors again by the end of this year.

“We need to keep up the restoration of our buildings,” Guerrero said. “The life of these monuments is closely linked to the people’s identity.”

Chávez said she and her partner chose San Juan de Dios as a wedding venue because her late grandmother used to attend frequently.

“It’s a parish full of history and it’s so beautiful,” she said. “Its paintings, its architecture, I love being here.”

Learning from tragedy

The Rev. Salvador Barba, who became an intermediary between the Catholic church and officials in charge of restoring federal buildings after 2017, said more than 150 churches were damaged by that earthquake in Mexico City alone. Forty were forced to shut down due to structural damage.

Nationwide, more than 3,000 churches were affected. By late 2024, nearly 90% had been restored, along with 4,000 pieces of sacred art, a government press release said.

Barba suggested that the 2017 earthquake was groundbreaking for the Catholic Church. “We raised awareness among priests that we need to take care of our churches,” he said. “An expression that we now frequently use is ’preventive maintenance’.”

That means priests nationwide can reach out to him to report cracks or any details that call for professional attention. Barba then forwards the report to the experts at the federal government and the buildings are inspected.

“We must not wait until it becomes worse,” he said. “That is what caused so much harm.”

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