The Parish of Santa Ana is located a few steps from the City Hall of Boca del Rio, a suburb of Veracruz. Built around 1776, it was originally dedicated to the Virgin del Carmen whose day is celebrated on July 16.

However, on October 15, 1582 Pope Gregory XIII instituted the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.  This switch meant a correction of 10 days to the calendar.  In other words, October 5, 1582 became October 15, 1582.

As a result, the celebration of July 16 had to be changed to July 26, the day of Santa Ana.  With this change, people began to worship Santa Ana. In the rich history of this place of worship, it highlights the fact that, according to the General Archive of the Indies in Seville, this is where the Chaplain Juan Diaz celebrated the first Catholic mass in Mesoamerica.

Each year, from July 24 to 31, the Great Feast of Boca del Rio is celebrated in honor of the patron saint. This festival is a series of cultural, religious, artistic, musical, and traditional events as well as the elaborate preparation of the largest steak stuffed with seafood in the world (registered by the Guinness Record) by all the restaurants in the area.