San Juan Parangaricutiro Church

In 1943 a farmer witnessed the birth of the Paricutin Volcano. Lava began oozing out of a fissure  in his corn field. Within a week the lava mass was the size of a house. In 9 years the cinder cone was 1,400 feet high covering an area of 90 sq miles.Then it stopped. Three people were killed and two towns obliterated.

The lava flow slowly creep toward the church, eventually surrounding it. 

It was a two km walk to the buried church. A vaquero followed with two horses hoping that someone would want to ride back up hill. He did have one taker.

The church steeple peeking above the lava. The source of all this lava is the lower cinder cone on the left.

Avocado orchard

It was rough transversing the jagged rocks.

Jutting out of the lava is the second story of the church. Lava encapsulates the first story. 

Construction ceased on the second steeple when it became apparent that the lava flow would overtake the church.