Religious discord

In 1979, a priest called Adolfo Zamora arrived in San Pablo Atlazalpan. He banned women from entering the St Pater & St Paul main church if they were wearing trousers, short skirts or with the head uncovered. Also, divorced women were not allowed to enter, and children of single women were refused baptism. The Mass began to be conducted in Latin, following traditional Lefebvrist and Tridentine rites.

The priest's measures provoked religious strife among the townspeople. Two groups formed: the traditionalists who attended the Latin mass, and the apostolic or "reform" Catholics whose ceremonies were conducted in Spanish and without the restrictions mentioned. The latter group set up an improvised church in a dwelling house on the corner of calles Independencia and Hidalgo, and brought in priests from other localities to officiate. Both churches claimed the name "St Peter & St Paul". The diocese of Nezahualcóyotl disavowed the Lefebvrist practice and in 1985 recognized the private house as a church. Public works ceased to function, as the adherents of the different groups refused all co-operation. Even families were divided among themselves. Into the new millennium other sects such as Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism and the Mormons took advantage of the conflict to attract followers, and the proportion of the town's population professing the Catholic faith fell from 90% to 10% within 10 years.

Plaque commemorating the reuniting of the townspeople after the religious conflict

The conflict came to an end in August 2004, when by a court order the State police entered the main church and it was returned to the Apostolics. The traditionalist group remained in being, but decided to build their own church, which opened in 2011. Since then the two sides have coexisted peacefully in the town.