Concordato y Acuerdos entre los Estados Unidos Mexicanos y la Santa Sede

The 1992 reform of Article 130 of the Mexican Constitution and the subsequent agreements with the Holy See (concordato) established the legal framework for the relationship between the Mexican state and religious organizations. The reform ended the strict anti-clerical laws dating from the 1917 Constitution, allowing religious organizations to acquire property, conduct religious ceremonies outside churches, and engage in religious education. The law regulates religious associations, their registration with the government, and their activities while maintaining the principle of laicidad (secularism) in public life.

Legal area: Law and religion governs the legal relationship between the state and religious organizations, including secularism and religious freedom.

Year enacted: 1992

Full text: https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/htm/concordato_santa_sede.htm

Key Provisions

• Art. 130 (constitutional): Separation of church and state (laicidad)
• Art. 1: Legal capacity of religious associations (asociaciones religiosas)
• Art. 2-5: Registration and recognition of religious groups
• Art. 6-10: Property rights of religious organizations
• Art. 11-15: Religious education (enseñanza religiosa)
• Art. 16-20: Public religious ceremonies and activities

Significance

The 1992 reform marked a historic shift in Mexico’s relationship with religious organizations, ending over 70 years of strict anti-clerical legislation. The reform allowed the Catholic Church and other religious groups to regain legal personality, acquire property, and conduct public religious activities. The concordato with the Holy See formalized diplomatic and legal relations. The reform reflects Mexico’s evolution from a strictly secular state to one that accommodates religious pluralism while maintaining the separation of church and state.