Fifteen kilometres from San Miguel, on a dusty road through scrub and fields, the village of Atotonilco holds a church that is nicknamed the Sistine Chapel of Mexico. From the outside the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno looks like a plain fortress of stone and whitewash with a domed roof, and then you step inside and every surface is covered, floor to ceiling, in painted scenes and swirling patterns. The paintings were made in the eighteenth century by a local artist, Miguel Antonio Martínez de Pocasangre, working for the priest Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro, who founded the sanctuary in the 1740s as a place of penance and spiritual retreat.
The imagery is extraordinary: Christ's suffering, demons and angels, the sins and the virtues, and a folk-baroque style that mixes European devotion with the colours and energy of Mexico. Pilgrims still arrive on foot, particularly during Lent, when they walk through the night from San Miguel, carrying crosses and heavy loads, in a tradition that goes back to the eighteenth century. In 1810 Ignacio Allende and his fellow rebels took a banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe from this church and carried it into the war of independence.
The sanctuary is a World Heritage site together with the town of San Miguel. Nearby there are hot springs, and several spa resorts fed by thermal waters have grown up around the village. The road from San Miguel is easy and short, with open fields, mesquite trees and views of the hills. It is a good route in the early morning, when the light is soft, and traffic is lighter. Watch for cattle and potholes after the rains, and for topes, the speed bumps at village entrances.
Atotonilco has only basic services, with small shops and a few eateries, so for fuel and supplies, go back to San Miguel. Dress respectfully, with shoulders covered, and keep a low voice inside. The church usually opens during the day, but check for services and special events, as the pilgrimage season gets crowded. October to April is the most comfortable time, with warm days and cool nights.