On January 30, 1928, federal troops climbed the Cerro del Cubilete with dynamite. The original Cristo Rey monument—begun in 1920 at what surveyors had declared the geographic center of Mexico—had become intolerable to President Plutarco Elías Calles, whose government was hunting priests and closing churches. The soldiers destroyed it. Within hours of the news spreading, Mexican Catholics across the country began quietly planning its replacement.
The history of the present monument cannot be separated from what the Cristero War destroyed. From 1926 to 1929, the government attempted to eradicate the Church: priests were executed, churches shuttered, and Catholics who resisted faced firing squads crying "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" When the persecution finally ended, the faithful returned to the mountain. Pope Pius XI—who had himself instituted the Feast of Christ the King in 1925 as a direct response to the secularism that produced such persecutions—blessed the new project from Rome. The current 20-meter bronze statue was completed in 1950.
Every year on the Feast of Christ the King (the last Sunday of November), over half a million pilgrims climb the mountain or gather at its base. Many come on foot from Guanajuato, León, and beyond, carrying the memory of the Cristeros who cried "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" as they faced firing squads.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The Cerro del Cubilete was identified as the geographic center of Mexico in the late 19th century, when surveyors placed the country's geodetic midpoint at this 2,580-meter peak in the state of Guanajuato. Catholic leaders saw the potential for a national monument to Christ that would proclaim the faith from Mexico's heart. Construction of the first statue began in 1920, supported by contributions from across the country.
President Plutarco Elías Calles, implementing the anticlerical provisions of the 1917 Constitution, ordered the monument destroyed on January 30, 1928, during the height of the Cristero War. Priests were hunted; churches were closed; Catholics who resisted were executed. The dynamiting of Cristo Rey became a rallying symbol of the persecution—its smoke visible for miles across the Bajío plain.
The Cristeros—Catholic peasant guerrillas who fought the government—adopted "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" as their battle cry. When captured, they often shouted these words before their executions. Pope John Paul II canonized a group of these martyrs—Saints Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions—in 2000 at the Vatican, formally placing the cry of the firing-squad line into the Church's official memory.
After the persecution ended, plans for a new monument revived. Architect Nicolás Mariscal y Piña designed the structure, sculptor Fidias Elizondo of Monterrey created the bronze figure, and José Carlos Ituarte González served as builder. The cornerstone of the present sanctuary was laid on December 11, 1944, by Bishop José Guadalupe Albino Emeterio Valverde Téllez of León. The bronze statue—Christ with arms outstretched, 20 meters tall, atop a globe of the same diameter—was blessed on December 11, 1950, exactly twenty-five years after Pius XI's encyclical instituting the Feast of Christ the King. Pope Benedict XVI's 2012 visit to nearby León noted that John Paul II, despite his several Mexican journeys, was never able to reach the Cubilete summit himself.
The sanctuary draws pilgrims not only for its Cristero memory but for its claimed geographical significance. The hill's identification as Mexico's center transforms the act of pilgrimage into a national statement of faith: to stand here is to stand, however symbolically, at the country's heart.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Guanajuato
Sanctuary of Christ the King (Cristo Rey)
Santuario del Cristo Rey
The 20-meter bronze statue of Christ stands atop a 9-meter globe, arms outstretched over the nation. Sculptor Fidias Elizondo's figure was blessed on December 11, 1950, six years after the cornerstone was laid on December 11, 1944—dates the sanctuary still commemorates. The base contains a chapel where incense and candlelight fill a stone interior lined with Cristero imagery; pilgrims pause here before or after the ascent to the summit. The mountainside features fourteen Stations of the Cross positioned along the footpath, and the 2,580-meter summit offers an unobstructed panoramic view across the Bajío basin—Silao and León visible to the north and west on clear days.
Chapel of the Martyrs
Within the monument's base, this chapel honors the Cristero martyrs with images and relics.
Way of the Cross
The mountain ascent passes through 14 stations, allowing pilgrims to meditate on Christ's passion while climbing to meet the risen Lord at the summit.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of Christ the King — Last Sunday of November
The great annual pilgrimage draws over 500,000 pilgrims. Many begin walking days in advance, arriving at the summit for Mass celebrated by bishops and archbishops of the region.
Anniversary of the Monument — December 11
Commemorating both the December 11, 1944 cornerstone-laying and the December 11, 1950 blessing of the bronze statue—deliberately set on the silver jubilee of Pius XI's encyclical instituting the Feast of Christ the King.
Cristero Martyrs Memorial — Various dates
The canonized martyrs are honored on their individual feast days throughout the year.
🛏️ Where to Stay
The sanctuary stands on a remote mountain above Silao; no lodging exists on the Cerro del Cubilete itself. Pilgrims base themselves in Silao (10 km), León (30 km), or Guanajuato City (45 km).
Holiday Inn Express Silao-Aeropuerto Bajío ⭐⭐⭐ — Located near Del Bajío International Airport, this property serves pilgrims arriving by air and driving directly to the monument. Official site
Holiday Inn León ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Full-service hotel in León, the region's largest city, with direct highway access to Cerro del Cubilete. Official site
Hotel Real de Minas Guanajuato ⭐⭐⭐ — Well-established property in Guanajuato City, 45 km east of the monument, set within the colonial UNESCO World Heritage zone. Official site
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Del Bajío International Airport (BJX) near Silao is 20 km from the monument.
By Bus: Buses serve Silao from Guanajuato, León, and Mexico City. From Silao, taxis and local transport reach the mountain base.
By Car: From León or Guanajuato, follow signs to Cerro del Cubilete. The road ascends to a parking area below the summit; the final approach is on foot.
On Foot: Traditional pilgrimage routes lead from Guanajuato, León, and other cities, especially during the Feast of Christ the King.
📚 Further Reading
Books:
Jean Meyer, The Cristero Rebellion — Definitive history of the religious conflict.
🔗 Useful Links
Sanctuary of Cristo Rey del Cubilete — Official sanctuary site with history, pilgrimage information, and liturgical schedule.
Archdiocese of León — Regional church information.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
San Juan de los Lagos (180 km northwest) — Mexico's second most-visited Marian shrine.
Guadalajara (250 km west) — Cathedral and colonial churches.
Guanajuato City (25 km east) — UNESCO World Heritage city with numerous colonial churches.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"In times of trial and sorrow she was invoked by many martyrs who, in crying out 'Long live Christ the King and Mary of Guadalupe', bore unyielding witness of fidelity to the Gospel and devotion to the Church."
— Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus at Parque del Bicentenario, León, 25 March 2012
