Journal of Astronomy in Culture

The first religious order to arrive in New Spain was the Order of Friars Minor, in 1524. They built churches dedicated to different religious figures throughout New Spain, using indigenous labor. One of these emblematic examples is the church of Santa María de la Asunción in Acapetlahuacan, located on the slopes of Cerro Macuilxochitepec, Atlixco, Puebla, in central Mexico. This paper discusses the results obtained for the church's solar alignments, as its orientation reflects both Catholic and indigenous influences. Specifically, it analyzes the possible association of these alignments with the Zapotec tradition known as cocijo, or with the festivals of Saint Francis of Assisi and the Assumption of Mary.