The Church of Guadalupe or "Templo de Guadalupe" was built in January, 1780 and the final stone of the church placed on February 14, 1783.

The Church is located at the far edge of town. If you decide to visit, be sure to ask if at the municipal building if the gates are padlocked. Take Zaragosa Street on the far side of the plaza down past the Bridge of Jesus or Puente de Jesus where you will see the Church on your right. It is directly across from the old Catorce Bullring, which was placed close to the church so that those killed in the sport would not have to be carried far to be buried.

The Church of Guadalupe sits on a hillside surrounded by the graves of residents. While the scene is beautiful, it is hauntingly desolute at the same time. You will pass through the large arched doorway in the stone wall that surrounds the Church and the tall wrought iron gates before walking up the stone walkway toward the Church.

As you near the Church you will notice a large crypt with a roof on your left. This is the grave of a young boy who was afraid of the dark, so his family has paid to have a light on 24-hours a day. The crypt is decorated with inlaid tiles representing the little boys toys.

The Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception or "La Parroquia de la Purisima Concepcion" was built in 1814 by French architect Jean Crusot. It is designed in the typical Latin Cross plan in that there is the main hall down the middle of the church with two side halls further down to the left and right. Looking down from the top dome one would see a cross.

The church is of massive construction in the Franciscan style, with thick stone walls and large porportions usually found only in cathedrals. Iconic columns grace the entrance to the church forming a parapet with large images of stone. The rich grey-brown sandstone for the church was brought by wagon from Zacatecas and is in striking contrast with stone found in the Catorce Mountain Range.

With it's neoclassic facade decorated with ancient sculptures in niches and cavered portico the church is considered to be of the finest construction in the state of San Luis Potosi.

Inside the church is a primitive painting believed to be the Immaculate Conception, which can be viewed in the sacristy. The painting was produced in Zacatecas and brought to the church to pay homage. It is very similar in form to the image of the Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos found in Jalisco and may have painted by the same person.

A statue of Saint Francis de Assi is placed on a prominent side alter and is believed to possess the power to cleanse sins, heal illnesses and solve problems of all types.

Saint Francis de Assisi was born 26 September 1181 in Assisi, Italy and died on 3 October 1226 in Porziuncola, Assisi. He was venerated in Roman Catholic Church and canonized on 16 July 1228 in Assisi by Pope Gregory IX.

The statue of Saint Francis de Assi (the Seraphic Father) was originally displayed in the La Capilla, a small chapel predating the Parrish Church. It is said that the statue was moved to the new church in 1850 when parishioners noticed that his painted shoes were wearing thin as a result of his nightly wanderings in search of souls to help. Most likely the paint was wearing thin from the pilgrams touching them in hommage to the Saint.

When the statue was moved, it had to be placed on a side alter as the main alter belongs to the statue of the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of Real de Catorce for whom the Parish Church was originally constructed. Soon word of the miracles attributed to Saint Francis began to spread and thousands of believers came to Real de Catorce alone and in pilgramages.

Residents of Real de Catorce and pilgrams continue visit the Chapel to give thanks to Saint Francis for answered prayers throughout the year, but espeically on October 4th of each year, which is the Feast Day of Saint Francis de Assi.

In the rear of the church, just to the left of the main alter, one can see hundreds of Retalbas (small sheets of metal painted by artists) giving thanks and paying homage to the miracles of Saint Francis de Assi. The Retalbas cover the walls of the room and must be seen to have a better understanding of the testimony of faith of the pilgrams.

The pilgrams continued to throughout the year, but especially on weekends and holidays. By 1920 so many pilgrims were arriving in Real de Catorce from throughout Mexico and even from abroad that the entrance to the town through the Ogarrio Tunnel had to be closed to vehicles other than horse drawn wagons. So many people were coming on the Feast Day of Saint Francis de Assi that there was no room in town for cars.

Today, the town celebrates Feast Day from mid September to mid-October. From October 1 to October 5, the crowd is so large that most residents simply secure their residences and go to visit relatives or go on holiday. Many of the shops close as the crowds are too much for them to handle.