The exterior of the Tlaxcala cathedral in Mexico, which is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. / Credit: David Ramos/ACI Prensa

Puebla, Mexico, Sep 24, 2025 / 15:57 pm (CNA).

The Diocese of Tlaxcala, the oldest in Mexico, is commemorating the quincentennial of its canonical establishment with a 500-hour period of continuous Eucharistic adoration before the Blessed Sacrament as an expression of gratitude and renewal of faith.

The initiative began on Sept. 12 and will conclude on Oct. 3, with the hours being distributed among the 93 churches that make up the seven deaneries of the diocese. Each deanery is responsible for 50 hours of adoration.

A statement noted that the objective of the activity is to spiritually prepare for the celebration of the jubilee of the 500th anniversary “as a form of thanksgiving and renewal of faith.”

Parish priests, vicars, and community leaders are also invited to promote the initiative during Sunday Masses and encourage families, parish groups, and the faithful in general “to join in this moment of unity around Christ.”

This period of adoration is part of the commemorative program for the five centuries of the diocese’s existence. At a Sept. 23 press conference, the diocese announced that a jubilee Mass will be held on Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. local time at the Conciliar Seminary of Our Lady of Ocotlán, celebrated by Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, apostolic nuncio to Mexico.

During the ceremony, a replica of the image Our Lady of Guadalupe will be presented along with three palm branches in memory of the Holy Children Martyrs, a heart symbolizing Mary’s maternal love under her title of Our Lady of Ocotlán, and the sending off on mission of more than 1,000 catechists. Parish Masses will be canceled on that day so that the entire community can participate in the solemn jubilee Mass.

It was also reported that the official blessing and consecration of the Holy Cathedral of Tlaxcala — a former Franciscan convent dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2021 — will take place on Oct. 13. Although the church has historically functioned as a cathedral, it had never been formally dedicated. The ceremony will also be conducted by the apostolic nuncio.

The first diocese in Mexico

The website of the Diocese of Tlaxcala notes that the diocese was the first episcopal see established on the mainland of New Spain. Although Pope Leo X established the diocese of Yucatán in 1519, it was never consolidated due to the scarcity of the population. 

The history of the diocese began with the arrival of the first evangelizers: “When the Spanish arrived on the American continent, they brought the Catholic faith with them. Along with Hernán Cortés, Friar Bartolomé de Olmedo and the cleric Juan Díaz arrived, who celebrated the first Mass in New Spain in the lands of what is now Mexico, in 1519,” the website explains.

It wasn’t until 1527 that the Dominican friar Julián Garcés arrived in Tlaxcala, took possession of the Franciscan monastery, and formally established the episcopal see in the Church of the Assumption.

Although the see was later moved to the state of Puebla, Tlaxcala retains its historical roots. After centuries of changes and the temporary loss of the diocese’s name, Pope John XXIII reinstated the current diocese in 1959.

The diocese’s faithful celebrate its history and mission annually, giving thanks “for the gift of life and to Mary for her intercession on behalf of this people who love her,” the diocese website states. 

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.