Temple Lord of Tila, Church in Leona Vicario, Balancan, Mexico

The Temple Lord of Tila is a Catholic church in the hamlet of Leona Vicario, Balancán municipality, Tabasco. It has a simple white facade and a bell tower. The building was completed in 2012 after 16 years of construction and receives thousands of visitors each year from nearby communities and abroad.

Construction began in 1996 through local community initiatives, with residents organizing food sales and gatherings to raise funds for the building. The project demonstrates how the community united to create a place for their faith.

The temple is named for the Lord of Tila, a devotion whose name comes from Tila in Chiapas, and it draws worshippers from Leona Vicario and nearby communities. Local families raised the funds themselves, and the finished church, consecrated in 2012, is used for Mass and for the processions and pilgrimages held through the year.

The church welcomes visitors throughout the day and draws people from nearby villages including Multe, Laguna Coronada, and Arenal. A small lagoon in front provides a calm spot for quiet moments or taking photographs.

The temple was built entirely by the residents of Leona Vicario, a community of just over 200 people, who raised the funds themselves starting in 1996. Before it existed, the nearest church meant an 8 km walk. The building was finished 16 years later, in 2012.