Father Mejía believed that a church in the shape of a boat would be a powerful symbol of faith and hope.

[8] Years later, in 1974, a project for a new temple began on the grounds that were previously a pulque-selling place called "tinacal.

[11] The priest, Arnulfo Mejía Rojas, originally from the southern region of Tlaxcala, had studied "Pre-Hispanic Philosophy."

He decided, through a plebiscite with the population, to completely change the design of the church to a larger one and, most importantly, in the shape of a ship.

[3] The boat design was modeled after the first vessel to set foot on Aztec land, La Santa María.