Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Guatemala City

It took 30 years to build this church, renowned for its neo-classical style and its stone facade. It is adorned with Greek pilasters while the altarpieces are Baroque in style with Solomonic columns and foliated volutes. It has the largest number of Baroque-style altarpieces in Guatemala. It displays valuable objects from the end of the 18th century. Many of its images were brought from Santiago de los Caballeros (Old Guatemala). It contains an extensive collection of paintings and the second-largest organ in Guatemala. It belonged to the Merced Order, but since 1829 it has been occupied by the Jesuits. It contains the image of Saint Judas Tadeo which is greatly worshipped by the followers, even more so than the image of Christ. The most important image in the Church is the one which shows Christ bearing the cross, displayed once a year during processions. Erected by Mateo Zuniga, it is a very valuable piece.