Today we took a bus ride to Merida to tour the square. We visited the oldest house in Merida then headed over to the Cathedral. To our pleasant surprise it was opened at the time and we were allowed to go inside. Its the first time any of of us had seen the inside. A couple of things we learned. 1) Pope John Paul visited the Cathedral over 21 years ago. 2) The Spaniards, tore everything down in Merida when the arrived and used it to build the Cathedral…including grave stones. 3) The crucifix at the alter was 36 feet high, the figure of Jesus was 26 feet high, and the figure was carved in whole from one piece of wood which was from Canada. (see the gallery at the bottom of the page)
Mass was about to begin.
Pope John Paul knelt here to pray.