Latin American churches, like their forerunners in Spain, are often more impressive than beautiful, and many have an ossary atmosphere – a fixation on suffering and martyrdom. This is not the case with “Our Lady of Health” of San Miguel. Cheerful and charming, it provides a break from the many sculpted agonies, and reminds us that in the Christian tradition there was not only Calvary, but also a happy feast in Cana and a picnic with loaves and fish.

“La Salud” is especially charming at night when its façade is illuminated and seen from Plaza Allende. The church is located on Calle Insurgentes near the new square and can be immediately identified by the large shell carved above the main entrance.

Meticulous and primitive stone work adorns the graceful façade. The niches around the main gates are dedicated to St. Joachim, St. Anne, the Sacred Heart, and St. John the Evangelist. The statue located just above the entrance honors the Immaculate Conception and the excellent local iron work crowns the wooden doors. The overall design is often called “churrigueresque”,” a term developed in Spain between 1688 and 1700 that describes an extravagant style of architecture – a pretentious word used excessively for anything unidentifiable but luxurious and Spanish. The façade is actually simpler and cleaner than the term implies.

Inside the tiny church, stone altars have replaced the original gold and gold – a small loss considering the spacious glamour of some great places of worship. The charm of this building arises from the pleasant simplicity achieved through a jubilant use of contrasting but cheerful colors and the absence of the grotesque dejo that often crowds Mexican churches.

The main cube is pleasurable, but the Camarín of the little Virgin of the Three Birds is a jewel. This small chapel is almost hidden, correctly, in a distant corner of the building, hoping to surprise visitors.