The Archdiocese of Monterrey is promoting the construction of a monumental 170-meter-high Cross of Mercy on the summit of Cerro de la Loma Larga, a project that seeks to become a visible sign of Catholic faith in the metropolitan area, according to the Mexican media Desde la Fe.
A visible symbol throughout the city
The structure will be erected on a spur of the Sierra Madre Oriental located between the municipalities of Monterrey and San Pedro Garza García, with the purpose of allowing the symbol of Jesus Christ’s Redemption to be viewed from various points in the city. The project is part of the so-called Memorial of Mercy, conceived as a sacred space that recalls God’s love and the presence of Santa María de Guadalupe.
The initiative is also presented as an offering in commemoration of two significant events for the Church: the 500th anniversary of the Guadalupan Event, to be celebrated in 2031, and the 2000th anniversary of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, scheduled for 2033.
Dimensions and international projection
The Cross of Mercy will be constructed in concrete with a steel core and will reach a total height of 170 meters, with arms 90 meters long. The base will measure 12 by 12 meters, while the intersection of the arms will be 8 by 8 meters, and the upper finial will reach 7 by 7 meters. These proportions will allow the structure to be visible from wide areas of the Monterrey metropolitan region.
If realized as announced in the project, the cross would surpass in height the one at the Valley of the Fallen in Spain, which measures 150 meters, and would rank among the tallest monumental crosses in the world within the Christian sphere. This fact would reinforce the international dimension of the Memorial and its projection as a religious reference point.
Liturgical design and theological symbolism
The design was commissioned to Fray Gabriel Chávez de la Mora, an architect and Benedictine monk recognized for his contributions to liturgical architecture and the author of the project for the New Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The commission was delivered to the Archdiocese before his death in December 2022.
According to the disseminated information, the Archbishop of Monterrey, Monsignor Rogelio Cabrera López, established as criteria that the cross be visible in most of the metropolitan area and that its design itself constitute a catechesis.
At the center of the structure, there will be an Eucharistic chapel for perpetual adoration, conceived as the “Eucharistic Heart” of the monument. The design incorporates a glass element that symbolizes this centrality of Christ in the Eucharist.
Likewise, two stripes of blue and red light will run along the cross in reference to the water and blood that flowed from Christ’s side, a sign of his mercy, while a beam of light will pierce the structure from end to end as a representation of Christ, Light of the world.
At the foot of the cross, the construction of a temple is planned where the faithful can approach the sacraments and undertake a formative journey that will include access to the arms of the structure.
Spiritual and social purpose
According to the information disseminated by the Archdiocese, the Memorial of Mercy has objectives to thank and praise God for his love, strengthen faith and hope, and promote the concrete living out of mercy in everyday life.
The project also contemplates a social and material dimension, by foreseeing effects such as the urban integration of the surroundings, job generation, the boost to local development, and greater international projection of Monterrey associated with this new religious reference point.