About Guatemala

Esquipulas is a town in the South East region of Guatemala, and the final destination for thousands of pilgrims that travel from all across Central America and Mexico to worship the Black Christ inside Esquipulas Basilica. This town also hosted the first meetings that lead to peace agreements in Central America.

Esquipulas it’s located 222 Km East from Guatemala City, 11 Km West from the Honduras border and 35 Km North from El Salvador’s border. It’s major attraction is the Basilica of the Black Christ, visited by nearly one million people every year. Starting on January 11th and throughout the 15th , Esquipulas celebrates the Black Christ, and the whole town becomes flooded by thousands of people arriving to pay homage to the holy image.

The worshiped Black Christ dates back to 1595, when Portuguese sculptor Quirio Cataño presented it to the city. The image was used by the Spanish missionaries to convert the natives, who accepted it more easily because of it resembled their brown skin. The Black Christ became darker over the years from the smoke of candles and incense burned by the natives over the years.

Pope John Paul II proclaimed Esquipulas the “spiritual center of Central America” in 1995. Since the town is visited by so many people every year, it offers many services to its visitors. Hotels and restaurants of all kinds are spread throughout Esquipulas. Other attractions in town include several structures from the colonial period, from churches to and old aqueduct.