Time Capsule from 1791 Found in Mexican Cathedral

Mark Stevenson in México City
Associated Press

January 16, 2008

A time capsule was found atop a bell tower at México City's Metropolitan Cathedral, where it was placed in 1791 to protect the building from harm, researchers said Tuesday.

The lead box—filled with religious artifacts, coins, and parchments—was hidden in a hollow stone ball to mark the moment on May 14, 1791, when the building's topmost stone was laid, 218 years after construction had begun on the cathedral.

Workers restoring the church found the box last October inside the stone ball base of a cross that sits atop the 200-foot (60-meter) southern bell tower. Researchers have spent the three months since opening the airtight box and preserving its contents.

"Protection From the Storms"

Among the artifacts was a small case of wax that was blessed by the Pope and served to protect against mishaps, said Rev. Ruben Avila, rector of the cathedral.

Also inside was an engraving of a Roman Catholic martyr associated with lightning, Saint Barbara, whose image served as "a religious lightening rod, to protect against damage," said archaeologist Xavier Cortes, director of historic buildings for the National Council of the Arts and Culture.

The cathedral, like most church buildings in Mexico, is considered government property.

A perfectly preserved parchment listed the time capsule's contents—including 23 medals, 5 coins, and 5 small crosses made of palm fronds—which it said were "for protection from the storms."

Divine Protection

Considering the cathedral's history—it has been flooded, fought over, and damaged as the soft soil it sits on sinks—it may have needed the divine protection.

A new time capsule—with unspecified items from this year—will be placed into the stone ball when it is closed again.

The cathedral was built on the swampy terrain of a former island and partially atop an Aztec pyramid.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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