Historia

The history of the Church of the Third Order of Saint Francis of Assisi dates back to 1724, when members of the Secular Franciscan Order—known as the Brothers and Sisters of Penance of Saint Francis—decided to establish a dedicated space for their religious activities. Until then, their meetings and celebrations had taken place within the Church and Convent of San Diego. As the congregation grew, they requested a plot of land located to the west of the convent complex to build a chapel and the facilities required by the order.

Formal construction of the church began around 1740 and was completed in 1764, becoming part of the historic San Diego complex. The building was constructed with a Latin-cross floor plan and adorned with Baroque altarpieces and paintings by prominent New Spanish artists such as Juan Correa, Antonio Torres, and Nicolás Rodríguez. Thanks to the support of benefactors and the deep Franciscan devotion of the inhabitants of what was then the Villa de Aguascalientes, the church became one of the city’s principal spiritual centers.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Temple of the Third Order witnessed the growth of Aguascalientes and significant historical events. Following the Reform Laws, the former San Diego convent underwent various transformations, yet the temple managed to retain its religious function and much of its artistic heritage. Today, together with the Temple of San Diego, the *Camarín de la Inmaculada*, and the old crypts, it forms one of the state’s most important architectural and religious complexes, regarded as a true gem of New Spanish Baroque and one of the oldest, most emblematic sites in the Historic Center of Aguascalientes.