Crucifix:
A sign beside the crucifix tells its
story. The crucifix was found in the Rio Atayaca, on a 6th
of August in the 16th century and subsequently brought
rain. The execution of anatomical details is realistic but
does not emphasize the skeletal structure. The round chest
and well-developed muscles portray a strong, healthy male.
The head is held straight rather than falling to either
side. The crown of thorns is in the basketweave pattern
but is white. The wig falls to mid-calf. The tip of the
carved loincloth projects from beneath the fabric; it is
gilded. The skin is dark golden brown; the blood from the
wounds has darkened almost to black.
Local Name: El Señor de la
Transfiguración
del Rio lo Seca.
Basis for Identification: Loincloth
and scutum, stylized crown of thorns, flowing blood,
skinned knees.
Site: Church of Santa
Elena de la Cruz, Xoxocotlán.
Location: On the west wall of the
narthex, to the right of the main entrance (see note).
Media and construction: Wood,
gesso, paint, fabric loincloth and
scutum over carved loincloth. Hair:
wig.
Size: About 6 feet (180 cm.)
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,
Teitipac Our
Lady of the Rosary, Teotitlán1, Teotitlán2, Teposcolula1,
Teposcolula2,
Teposcolula3
(in Rosary case), Teposcolula
Convento1, Teposcolula
Convento2, Tilantongo1,
Tilantongo2,
Tlacolula1,
Tlacolula2,
Xoxocotlán1, Xoxocotlán2, Xoxocotlán3, Yanhuitlán1, Yanhuitlán2, Yanhuitlán
Convento1, Yanhuitlán
Convento2, Yanhuitlán
Convento3, Yanhuitlán
Convento4, Yanhuitlán
Convento5, Yanhuitlán Ayuxi Chapel, Zimatlán.
External Links:
Wikimedia Commons:
Crucifixes
in
Mexico
Catholic Encyclopedia: Archaeology
of the Cross and Crucifix
Wikipedia: Crucifix
Christian Iconography: The
Crucifixion
Next: On the left as you enter the narthex are two small
chapels. In the first of them we find another crucifix.
Introduction
to Xoxocotlán
Santos Home Page
Note: On
this
site,
references to the cardinal directions always assume
that the main altar is at the east end of the church,
the narthex or entry area at the west end, and the two
walls
of the nave on the
north and south. (The
nave is the long central section.)
Actual orientations may differ.
The photo shown here is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
license. You are free to share or remix it on two
conditions: first, that you attribute it to the
photographers, Claire and Richard Stracke, without
implying any approval of your work on their part;
second, that if you alter, transform, or build upon
this photo, you may distribute the resulting work only
under the same or similar license to this one.
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