Catemaco’s main church was named a basilica (ie a church with special ceremonial rights) in 1961, due primarily to its position as a pilgrimage site for the Virgen del Carmen. It's said she appeared to a fisherman in a cave by Laguna Catemaco in 1664, in conjunction with a volcanic eruption. A statue of the virgin resides in the church and is venerated on her feast day every July 16.
The intricate interior and haunting stained glass of the church belie its modernity; the current building only dates from 1953, though it looks at least a century older.
