Architecture
Stained Glass
They were made in Encarnación de Díaz, Jalisco and in León in the workshop of Rodolfo Gutiérrez. The Annunciation, the Birth of Christ, Calvary, the Coming of the Holy Spirit and the Ascension of the Lord are represented in the side stained glass windows. In the stained glass windows in the center, behind the Altar, is the image of Christ, King of the Universe. Two others are placed in the transepts of the naves: one schematically represents the City of León, with the best-known buildings, and on the west side is the Basilica of San Pedro. On the façade of the temple is "the allegory of divinity, surrounded by cherubs."
The floor
The floor is made of natural granite, it is a granite called 'beautiful red' and a 'Ubatuba green' that was brought in blocks from Brazil.
The crypt
There are seven catacombs with 1,919 crypts, where ashes and remains of people are deposited. They were built to take advantage of the gaps left by the foundation. The foundations are 12 meters deep to support the thousands of tons that the construction weighs. The crypts that today characterize the Temple were designed to support the building, with their sale. They were started in 1924, but the work was interrupted by the flood of 1926. Then came the persecution of Plutarco Elías Calles, so they began to serve until January 1930 and are now visited by tourists and faithful from the country and abroad.
The doors
The doors on the temple's façade are made of bronze. The frames are made of iron, cast in the city of Monterrey, and lined with bronze leaves sculpted in relief with religious motifs. The design, artistic idea and execution in its entirety were the work of the Mexican sculptor and architect José Carlos Ituarte González.
The door on the left side of the main façade alludes to the creation of human beings and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Earthly Paradise. In it you can read in the upper right corner: "We praise you Holy Father... because you did all things with wisdom and love. In your image you created man..." And in the lower left corner it continues: "And when through disobedience he lost your friendship, you did not abandon him to the power of death; but, out of compassion, you extended your hand to everyone so that he who seeks you may find you." This text is taken from Eucharistic Prayer IV.
On the left leaf of the central main door of the façade the Annunciation of the Lord is illustrated, accompanied in the upper right corner by the words of the Creed: "Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven.", the Nativity of the Lord and the Message of Jesus to the People of Israel; and on the right leaf of the same door the Crucifixion, the Resurrection of the Lord and the Last Supper of Christ are represented, accompanied by the words: "May you love one another as I have loved you".
The door on the right side of the main façade alludes to the Coming of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles and shows a perspective of St. Peter's Basilica; In the upper left corner you can read: "We believe in the Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life", while in the upper right corner it says: "We believe in one Church. Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.".
The monumental bronze doors of the Expiatory Temple are unique in the Mexican Republic and it should be noted that they are the largest bronze sculptures in the world installed on Church doors and have a Gothic style.
The main altar
The altar is made with two types of marble: white 'Alejandra' and green Tical, brought from Guatemala. It was made with a Gothic reminiscence, according to the style of the Temple. In it you can read: "We announce your Death, we proclaim your Resurrection, come Lord Jesus".
Having the main altar in front, on the left side is the Penitential Chapel, as well as a monumental painting of the Ascension of the Lord near the choir, while on the right side we find the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament with its Monumental Monstrance and the Tabernacle, as well as a monumental painting of the Assumption of the Most Holy Mary on one side of an internal access to the crypts.
The side altars
The Expiatory Temple contains small altars dedicated to various saints and devotions:
In the left nave of the temple:
• - Altar to the Blessed Martyrs of San Joaquín: Andrés Solá Molist (Claretian missionary), Trinidad Rangel Montaño (diocesan priest) and the layman Leonardo Pérez Larios.
• - Altar to Jesus Nazarene.
• - Altar to Our Lady of Lourdes.
In the right nave of the temple:
• - In this space the Nativity scene or some other eventual altar is set up.
• - Altar to Saint Joseph.
• - Altar to the Risen Jesus.
The bell
The main bell of the temple weighs more than two and a half tons and was provisionally installed in a tower that was built above the temple's notary office. However, the bell only had a symbolic character, as it only rang on very special events. Since mid-2006 it was no longer used to call the faithful to mass; Instead, an electronic sound system with recorded bell ringing was used. Starting in 2013, the bell rang again as usual to call for the Eucharistic Celebration. It was built in 1950 by the craftsman Tiburcio Medina, and on it you can read the inscription: "All for you, Sacred Heart of Jesus" and "Glory, Love and Atonement". It was made of an alloy of metals, including bronze, tin and silver. The bell tower where it is installed has a height of 13 meters.
Frontispiece
The tympanum, worked with designs by the sculptor Ponzanelli, presents three marble sculptures:
Above the door on the left side of the main façade is Jesus, dead in the arms of his Mother, and on it you can read: "Attend and see if there is pain like my pain!".
The tympanum of the central main door reminds us of the origin of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on it you can read: "Behold the Heart that has loved men so much!".
Above the door on the right side of the main façade is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ accompanied by the words: "The Lord is truly risen, Hallelujah, Hallelujah".