Esquipulas is a town in the Guatemalan department of Chiquimula. It serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. Guatemala is divided in 22 departments Department (Capital) Alta Verapaz (Cobán) Baja Verapaz (Salamá) Chimaltenango (Chimaltenango) Chiquimula (Chiquimula) El Petén (Flores) El Progreso (Guastatoya) El Quiché (Santa Cruz del Quiché) Escuintla (Escuintla) Guatemala (Guatemala) Huehuetenango (Huehuetenango) Izabal (Puerto Barrios) Jalapa (Jalapa) Jutiapa (Jutiapa) Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango) Retalhuleu (Retalhuleu) Sacatep... Chiquimula Chiquimula is a department in Guatemala. ...

The town is famous for the Basilica of Esquipulas which houses the Shrine of the Black Christ. Every year, thousands of pilgrims from Guatemala and other Central American countries flock to pay homage to the dark wooden image of the crucified Christ, the most revered Catholic shrine in the region. The Basilica of Saint Peter is the largest church in Christianity and often used by the Pope. ... Commonly, Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ...

Esquipulas was also the site of the initial meetings which led to the Esquipulas Peace Agreement, with which a measure of peace finally returned Central America started. Although the 1987 treaty was signed in Guatemala City, it bears the name Esquipulas. The Esquipulas Peace Agreement was an initiative in the mid-1980s to settle the military conflicts which had plagued Central America for many years, in some cases, notably Guatemala decades. ... Guatemala City (in full, La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción; locally known as Guatemala or, informally, Guate) is the capital and largest city of Guatemala and in Central America. ...

The city of Esquipulas was founded by the Spaniards between 1560 and 1570 with the name of Santiago de Esquipulas. The image of the Black Christ dates back to March 9, 1595, when the Portuguese sculptor Quirio Catano presented it to the mayor of the city. March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... Events January 30 - William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is performed for the first time. ...

The cathedral at Esquipulas was proclaimed a Basilica in 1961 by Pope John XXIII, and in 1995, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the shrine, Pope John Paul II proclaimed it "the spiritual center of Central America." Pope John XXIII (Latin: ), born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963), reigned as the 261st Pope of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from October 28, 1958 until his death in 1963. ... Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), born Karol Józef Wojtyła (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005) reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church for almost 27 years, from 16 October 1978 until his death, making his the second-longest pontificate. ...

Please visit the oficial website of Esquipulas, Guatemala http://www.esquipulas.com.gt/ and http://www.cristodeesquipulas.com/