Editing Antigua Guatemala (section)

==== San Miguel Earthquake====
{{Main|1717 Guatemala earthquake}}
[[File:Antigua, Guatemala. Iglesia derruida.jpg|thumb|A church damaged by an earthquake]]

The strongest earthquakes experienced by the city of Santiago de los Caballeros before its final move in 1776 were the [[1717 Guatemala earthquake|San Miguel earthquakes]] in 1717. At that time, the power of the [[Catholic Church]] over the Spanish Empire's citizens was absolute and any natural disaster was considered as divine punishment. In the city, people also believed that the proximity of the [[Volcán de Fuego]] (English: Volcano of Fire) was the cause of earthquakes; the great architect Diego de Porres even said that all the earthquakes were caused by volcano explosions.<ref name=MelchorToledo2011/>{{rp|103}}

On August 27 there was a strong eruption of [[Volcán de Fuego]], which lasted until August 30; the residents of the city asked for help to Santo Cristo of the cathedral and to the Virgen del Socorro who were sworn patrons of the [[Volcan de Fuego]]. On August 29, a Virgen del Rosario procession took to the streets after a century without leaving her temple, and there were many more holy processions until 29 September, the day of San Miguel. Early afternoon earthquakes were minor, but at about 7:00&nbsp;p.m. there was a strong earthquake that forced residents to leave their homes; tremors and rumblings followed until four o'clock. The neighbors took to the streets and loudly confessed their sins, bracing for the worst.<ref name=MelchorToledo2011/>{{rp|104}}

The San Miguel earthquake damaged the city considerably, to the point that some rooms and walls of the Royal Palace were destroyed. There was also a partial abandonment of the city, food shortages, lack of manpower, and extensive damage to the city infrastructure, not to mention numerous dead and injured.<ref name=MelchorToledo2011/>{{rp|104}} These earthquakes made the authorities consider moving to a new city less prone to seismic activity. City residents strongly opposed the move, and even took to the Royal Palace in protest; in the end, the city did not move, but the number of troops of the Army Battalion required to maintain order was considerable.{{sfn|Rodríguez Girón|Flores|Garnica|1995|p=585}} The damage to the palace was repaired by Diego de Porres, who finished repairs in 1720, although there are indications that there was additional work done by Porres until 1736.{{sfn|Rodríguez Girón|Flores|Garnica|1995|p=585}}