Following a tragic shooting at the Teotihuacán archaeological site in Mexico on April 20, which left two people dead and 13 injured, Bishop Guillermo Francisco Escobar Galicia of Teotihuacán has issued a heartfelt plea for a societal return to Christian values.
“We deeply lament that this has occurred as a consequence of the loss of a sense of the meaning of life and the failure to recognize the other as a brother,” the bishop stated in a press release, expressing his sorrow and calling for prayers for the victims.
Mexican authorities reported that a man fired shots at the site before taking his own life. Among the deceased was a Canadian woman. The 13 injured individuals, including two minors aged 6 and 13, were foreign nationals from the United States, Colombia, Canada, Russia, the Netherlands, and Brazil. As of the latest reports, eight remained hospitalized.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her profound pain over the incident on social media, stating, “What occurred today in Teotihuacán pains us deeply,” and confirmed her government was in contact with the Canadian Embassy and had ordered a thorough investigation.
In his statement, Bishop Escobar called on the Catholic faithful to pray for the deceased and for those who have strayed, “that they may be profoundly reconciled with God and with others.”
“Today, more than ever, we need to look to Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, to return to Christian values within our families,” he urged, framing the tragedy as a symptom of a broader moral crisis.
The Teotihuacán site, home to the iconic Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and located about 25 miles northeast of Mexico City, is the country’s second-most visited archaeological zone, attracting 1.8 million tourists in 2025.
The bishop concluded by invoking the Virgin Mary to “accompany and soothe the pain of those suffering the loss of a loved one.”
