Santos in Oaxaca's Ancient Churches
A study of santos in 16th-century and other churches in Oaxaca, Mexico
By Claire and Richard Stracke
Funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation
Santos in Oaxaca's Ancient ChurchesA study of santos in 16th-century and other churches in Oaxaca, Mexico
By Claire and Richard Stracke Funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation |
| Santa Cruz Mixtepec |
| Santa Cruz Mixtepec is a town of about 3,000 people in the Central Valley region of Oaxaca State. We have no pictures from our visit to their church. However, we did take the following notes. The Holy Cross Local Name: La Santa
Cruz Location: Left of the Soledad, along the north wall of the nave. Media and construction: Wood. Covered
in bay leaves. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Palm Sunday Christ Location: Left of the Santa Cruz with bay
leaves, along north wall of the nave. Size: About four feet tall. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Santa Ana del Valle, Cuilapan, Mitla, Ocotlán, Díaz Ordaz, Tamazulapan, Teitipac, Teotitlán, Teposcolula, Tlacolula, Yanhuitlán. External
Link: Christ Fallen with the Cross Location: Left of the San Isidro, along the north wall
of the nave. Size: About 5½ feet (165 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Coixtlahuaca,
Etla, Guelavia,
Huitzo,
Teposcolula,
Zimatlán. Christ Carrying the Cross Location: Left of the Christ Fallen, along the north
wall of the nave. Size: About 5½ feet (165 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla, Cuilapan, Tlaxiaco, Yanhuitlán, Zimatlán. External
Links: Crucifix Local Name: El Señor de la Misericordia Location: On the same altar
with the San Sebastian, described below. Media and construction: Carved
teeth. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla,
Santa Ana del
Valle1, Santa
Ana del Valle2, Santa Ana del
Valle3, Cuilapan,
Etla, Guelavia,
Mitla, Nochixtlán,
Tamazulapan1,
Tamazulapan2,
Teitipac1,
Teitipac2,
Teitipac3,
Teotitlán1,
Teotitlán2, Teposcolula1,
Teposcolula2,
Teposcolula3
(in Rosary case), Teposcolula
Convento1, Teposcolula
Convento2, Tilantongo1,
Tilantongo2,
Tlacolula,
Xoxocotlán1, Xoxocotlán2, Xoxocotlán3, Xoxocotlán4, Yanhuitlán1, Yanhuitlán2, Yanhuitlán
Convento1, Yanhuitlán
Convento2, Yanhuitlán
Convento3, Yanhuitlán
Convento4, Yanhuitlán
Convento5, Yanhuitlán Ayuxi Chapel, Zimatlán. External Links:
Our Lady of Sorrows (Soledad)
The full crown is disproportionately large. The figure has fine features and long hands. The mantle is of lamé brocade. Location: This is the first statue along the north wall of the nave. Media and construction: Fabric
garments. Size: About 5 feet (150 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla, Santa Ana del Valle, Coixtlahuaca, Cuilapan, Ejutla, Etla, Huitzo, Mitla, Teotitlán, Teposcolula1, Teposcolula2, Tilantongo, Xoxocotlán, Zimatlán. External Links: Saint Isidore the Laborer Dated 1981, rough folk art. There is a snarling dog between the bullocks. Local Name: San Isidro Labrador Location: Left of the Palm Sunday Christ, along the north wall of the nave. Size: About 2 feet (60 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Coixtlahuaca, Huitzo, Tamazulapan, Teitipac, Teposcolula. External Links: Sacred Heart of Jesus Location: In a glass case left of the main altar. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla,
Cuilapan,
Huitzo, Tamazulapan,
Teposcolula,
Yanhuitlán, Zimatlán. External Links:
Saint Hyacinth Local Name: San Jacinto Basis for Identification: Baby
on left hand.
Location: Upper center of retablo of main altar. Media and construction: Polychrome. Size: About 3 feet (90 cm.) This is the only polychrome we saw in the church. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Huitzo, Teitipac,
Teotitlán
del Valle. External Links: La Santa Cruz This particular cross figures in a local story. In the time when the first people of the area were converting to Christianity, this cross was stolen from them by los Gentiles (our informant's word for pagans). The Gentiles took the cross to a cave to set it afire, but a great stream began to gush forth from the floor of the cave, extinguishing the flames. Location: Center of retablo of main altar. Media and construction: Wood. Immaculate Heart of Mary The case corresponds in size and design to that containing the Sacred Heart on the other side of the apse. Local Name: Corazón de
María Location: In a glass case right of main altar. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Cuilapan,
Huitzo, Mitla Teitipac,
Teposcolula,
Zaachila,
Zimatlán. External Links: Saint Joseph The figure looks upward, in the manner of St. John in Calvary scenes. The left hand is in fairly good condition, but the right is worm-eaten and its gesso is peeling. The face may have been repainted. Local Name: San José Basis for Identification: Sheaf of lilies in left hand. Other characteristics: No baby. Location: On an altar along the south wall of the nave. Media and construction: Wood, gesso,
paint. Eyes: glass. Hair: carved. Size: About 6 feet (180 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla,
Santa Ana del Valle,
Cuilapan1, Cuilapan2,
Mitla1, Mitla2, Ocotlán, Díaz
Ordaz, Teitipac,
Teotitlán,
Zimatlán. External Links: Our Lady of Sorrows The figure is bald. There are no carved tears on the face, no heart, no trinkets. The skin is gray-green. The statue seems old. Local Name: La Madre de los Dolores. Basis for Identification: Head tilted back, hands together in prayer, blue garment. Media and construction: Fabric
garments over frame. Hair: wig Size: About 6 feet (180 cm.) Location: On the same altar along south wall of the
nave as the Saint Joseph described above. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla,
Santa Ana del
Valle, Coixtlahuaca,
Cuilapan1,
Cuilapan2,
Ejutla, Mitla, Nochixtlán,
Ocotlán, Díaz
Ordaz, Tamazulapan,
Teitipac,
Teotitlán, Teposcolula
(in Calvary group), Tlacolula,
Xoxocotlán, Yanhuitlán (?). External Links: Saint Sebastian The left arm may have been added later; it is less detailed than the rest of the statue. The detailing is especially good in the stomach muscles, the knees, and the lower leg. The feet may have been rebuilt. Local Name: San Sebastián. Basis for Identification: Arrows in body. Location: Another altar along south wall of the nave. Media and construction: Glass eyes,
parted lips Size: 4 feet (120 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla,
Ocotlán,
Teotitlán, Tilantongo,
Xoxocotlán,
Yanhuitlán. External Links: Saint John the Baptist Local Name: San Juan Bautista. Basis for Identification: Severed head only. Location: On a third altar along south wall of the nave, on plate, in a glass case. Media and construction: Glass eyes,
painted hair. Size: Life size. There is a painting of the paschal lamb at the back of
the case. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla,
Coixtlahuaca,
Huitzo,
Mitla,
Tamazulapan,
Tamazulapan (as child), Teitipac,
Teitipac
(Beheading), Teitipac
(San Juanito), Teotitlán,
Zimatlán. External Links: Saint Francis of Assisi The statue was repainted at one
time, but wood is visible through the gesso. The
garments do not have the elaborate folds common in
polychromes. Basis for Identification: Franciscan habit. Two white birds on book in left hand. Location: On the same altar as the St. John described above. Media and construction: Wood, gesso,
paint. Size: 4 feet (120 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Ejutla, Teotitlán. External Links: Trinity (Throne of Mercy) The statue is roughly carved and has been repainted. The dove is missing. Location: On the same altar as the San Juan and San Francisco described above. Media and construction: Wood, gesso
(?), paint. Size: 2½ feet (45 cm.) Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Diaz Ordaz,
Mitla, Tamazulapan,
Teitipac,
Teotitlán,
Tlacolula,
Xoxocotlán,
Yanhuitlán. Wikimedia
Commons: Throne
of Mercy in Mexico Christ in a Coffin The coffin lacks glass but is covered with a plastic sheet. The face is well done. Local Name: El Dios de la Muerte Location: Midway along the south wall of the nave. Media and construction: Eyes: closed.
Hair: wig. Closed mouth. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Huitzo, Mitla, Tamazulapan,
Teitipac,
Teotitlán,
Teposcolula,
Tlacolula,
Xoxocotlán
(in Soledad group), Zaachila. External
Link: We also visited the church at Puerto Escondido, which had been founded by the Dominicans in the early period, but upon arrival we were told that the church had no santos.
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