MEXICO CITY (AP) — Carmen Chávez has a clear answer for those wondering why she and her partner chose to get married on Sept. 19 — the anniversary of two deadly earthquakes that struck Mexico 32 years apart.
“This was a tragic date for me,” said Chávez, who remembers how buildings collapsed in downtown Mexico City 40 years ago. “So I want to give this day a new meaning. From now on, it will mark the beginning of our life together.”
There is no official consensus on the overall death toll from the 1985 and 2017 earthquakes. Some estimates put the total figure at more than 12,000, but the real number remains unknown.
The coinciding dates fuel anxiety for many, especially after a third, less damaging quake hit the country on Sept. 19, 2022. But seismologists and researchers say there is no physical reason for the concurrence of major earthquakes on a specific date.
As Chávez’s wedding ceremony ended Friday morning, police closed off nearby streets to traffic for an earthquake drill. Meanwhile, exhibits, lectures and Masses took place all over the city to remember the quakes’ victims.
Mexico’s flag was flown at half staff outside Mexico City’s cathedral. A message was posted on its social media channels: “Those days left us wounded, but they also taught us that solidarity is greater than fear.”
Some churches still bear scars from quakes
The Catholic venue that Chávez and her partner chose for their wedding carries a deep significance on this particular date.
The San Juan de Dios church withstood the 8.1 magnitude earthquake of 1985. However, its structure was severely damaged in 2017, forcing it to shut down. It reopened in late 2024, after most of its restoration was completed, though some interior work …