San Lorenzo Zinacantán is a town in the southern part of the Central Chiapas
highlands in the Mexican state of Zinacantán Municipality, Chiapas. 99.1% of
its population is Tzotzil Maya, an indigenous people with linguistic and
cultural ties to other highland Maya peoples.
Zinacantán literally means "land of bats" and comes from the Nahuatl language.
People in Zinacantán speak Tzotzil (a Mayan language) and they call their own
land "Sots'leb", that is, "land of bats" in their own language.
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The church of San Lorenzo Zinacantán and the chapel of El Señor de
Esquipulas.
In the center of Zinacantán you will find the church of San Lorenzo
Zinacantán (left) and the chapel of El Señor de Esquipulas (right).
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Church of San Lorenzo Zinacantán
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Entering the courtyard.
Entrance arch to the church atrium (courtyard) of San Lorenzo
Zinacantán.
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Three crosses.
In the middle of the atrium are three crosses that represent the Calvary
but also represent pre-Columbian ideology.
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Due to the triad pattern found in much of pre-Columbian art,
contemporary triad groupings of crosses in the Maya area are subject
to debate as to whether this is a totally Christian concept. Triadic
groupings of crosses also represent a fusion with pre-Columbian
ideology.
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The church of San Lorenzo Zinacantán.
The church of San Lorenzo Zinacantán (Iglesia de San Lorenzo) is
one of a small handful of churches in Zinacantán.
- Each neighborhood in the town has its own place of worship.
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Until recently, photographing the interior of the church was
prohibited. However, it is now permitted, obviously provided that you
are respectful of people in prayer.
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Church interior.
Many beautiful flowers are grown in this region. Whatever day, week, or
month you happen to stop by, you will find them draped over the
religious icons, pews, and figures within the church.
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Prior to the Spanish colonization, the indigenous people of Zinacantán
had their own set of religious beliefs. However, with the arrival of
the Spanish came two options: Convert to Catholicism or be killed.
Arguably, it was an obvious choice to make. However, the people of
Zinacantán still retained some aspects of their own practices.
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Today, the Iglesia de San Lorenzo and other Zinacantán churches boast
a fascinating mix of Catholic and indigenous practices.
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Cross on the right side.
On each side of the church, before the rows of chairs begin, there are
two large crosses, one on the right and the other on the left side of
the nave.
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Cross on the left side.
Compare the size of the cross to the size of the person.
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Statue of dead Jesus in a glass coffin.
The Lamentation of Christ is a very common subject in Christian art from
the High Middle Ages to the Baroque. After Jesus was crucified, his body
was removed from the cross and his friends mourned over his body. This
event has been depicted by many different artists.
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John the Apostle is to the right of the image of the dead Christ.
Behind John is Mary Magdalene. Mary, mother of Jesus, is on the left
side of the image of the dead Christ.
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John the Apostle.
John the Apostle (c. 6 AD – c. 100 AD) or Saint John the Beloved was one
of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament.
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One of John's familiar attributes is the chalice, often with a serpent
emerging from it.
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The "beloved disciple" alone, among the Apostles, remained near Jesus
at the foot of the cross on Calvary alongside myrrhbearers and
numerous other women. Following the instruction of Jesus from the
Cross, the beloved disciple took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his
care as the last legacy of Jesus.
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See more at
John the Apostle - Wikipedia.
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Our Lady of Sorrows.
Our Lady of Sorrows (Latin: Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), Our
Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows (Latin:
Mater Dolorosa), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven
Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names by which Mary, mother
of Jesus, is referred to in relation to sorrows in life. As Mater
Dolorosa, it is also a key subject for Marian art in the Catholic
Church.
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Our Lady of Sorrows, depicted as "Mater Dolorosa" (Mother of
Sorrows) has been the subject of some key works of Catholic Marian
art. Mater Dolorosa is one of the three common artistic
representations of a sorrowful Virgin Mary, the other two being
Stabat Mater and Pietà.
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See more at
Our Lady of Sorrows - Wikipedia.
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Lamentation of Christ.
Lamentation works are very often included in cycles of the Life of
Christ, and also form the subject of many individual works.
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The life of Christ as a narrative cycle in Christian art comprises a
number of different subjects showing events from the life of Jesus on
Earth. They are distinguished from the many other subjects in art
showing the eternal life of Christ, such as Christ in Majesty, and
also many types of portrait or devotional subjects without a narrative
element.
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A lament is a prayer expressing sorrow, pain, or confusion. Lament
should be the chief way Christians process grief in God’s presence.
Because many Christians have grown up in churches which always look on
the bright side, lament can be jarring. And for believers whose lives
are relatively free from tragedy, lament may seem unnecessary. It sure
sounds like a downer.
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Saint Lawrence inside a glass cabinet.
San Lorenzo (Saint Lawrence) is enclosed within a glass cabinet.
Notice the abundance of flowers.
- Opposite the closet is a table with candles.
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On either side of the table are braziers (braseros) for burning
copal, a resin used in the region to produce smoke.
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Copal is a tree resin, particularly the aromatic resins from the copal
tree Protium copal (Burseraceae) used by the cultures of pre-Columbian
Mesoamerica as ceremonially burned incense and for other purposes.
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Copal is still used by a number of indigenous peoples of Mexico and
Central America as an incense, during sweat lodge ceremonies and
sacred mushroom ceremonies.
- Underneath the table are depictions of animals in painted clay.
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Animal figurines under St. Lawrence.
Notice this small colorful, hand-painted sculptures of animals.
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They represent animal protectors and the Tzotzil believes that all of
us have an animal spirit guide with us in life.
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Mesoamerican belief in tonalism, wherein every person has an animal
counterpart to which their life force is linked, is drawn upon by
nagualism.
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See more at
Nagual - Wikipedia.
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Virgin Mary crowned.
Queen of Heaven (Latin: Regina Caeli) is a title given to the
Virgin Mary, by Christians mainly of the Catholic Church and, to a
lesser extent, in Anglicanism, Lutheranism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.
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The title has long been a tradition, included in prayers and
devotional literature and seen in Western art in the subject of the
Coronation of the Virgin from the High Middle Ages, long before it was
given a formal definition status by the Church.
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St. Anthony holds the Child Jesus.
The Saint most often seen in artwork holding the Child Jesus in his arms
is St Anthony. The image of Anthony and the child Jesus is a favorite
around the globe. This popular image is quite friendly, likable and
appealing.
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The Child Jesus paid him a visit when he was still a friar, and he was
praying in his room alone. For this reason, the images of St. Anthony
portray him with the Child Jesus in his arms.
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The main altar.
Centrally located is the image of St. Lawrence. Above him is the image
of virgin Mary crowned holding the Child Jesus.
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Notice the number of figures and flowers that cover the main altar.
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Praying in front of the main altar.
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Saint Peter.
Saint Peter holds a book in his right hand and holds a key in his left
hand.
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Peter is often depicted in both Western and Eastern Christian art
holding a key or a set of keys.
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According to Catholic teaching, Jesus promised the keys to heaven to
Saint Peter, empowering him to take binding actions.
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See more at
Saint Peter - Wikipedia.
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Animal figurines under St. Peter.
Tonal is a concept within the study of Mesoamerican religion,
myth, folklore and anthropology. It is a belief found in many indigenous
Mesoamerican cultures that a person upon being born acquires a close
spiritual link to an animal, a link that lasts throughout the lives of
both creatures. The person shows signs of whatever the animal's
situation to include scratches and bruises if the animals get in fights,
or illness if the animal is ill. It is in this way similar to the
concept of Totem.
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The word comes from the Nahuatl word tonalli, meaning "day" or
"daysign".
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In the Aztec belief system the day of a person's birth calculated in
the Tonalpohualli would determine the nature of the person – each day
was associated with an animal which could have a strong or weak
aspect. The person born on the day of for example "the dog" would then
have the strong or weak aspect of the dog.
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In Nahuatl the word tonalli was used to refer both to a day and
to the animal related to that day.
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In Mayan belief the concept of an animal companion of a person was
referred to as "Way".
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See more at
Tonal - Wikipedia.
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Our Lady of Holy Death.
Our Lady of Holy Death (Spanish:
Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte, often shortened to Santa
Muerte, is a cult image, female deity, and folk saint in folk
Catholicism and Mexican Neopaganism. A personification of death, she is
associated with healing, protection, and safe delivery to the afterlife
by her devotees.
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Originally appearing as a male figure, Santa Muerte now generally
appears as a skeletal female figure, clad in a long robe and holding
one or more objects, usually a scythe and a globe. Her robe can be of
any color, as more specific images of the figure vary widely from
devotee to devotee and according to the rite being performed or the
petition being made.
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The following of Santa Muerte began in Mexico some time in the
mid-20th century and was clandestine until the 1990s. Most prayers and
other rites have been traditionally performed privately at home. Since
the beginning of the 21st century, worship has become more public,
especially in Mexico City after a believer called Enriqueta Romero
initiated her famous Mexico City shrine in 2001.
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Mictēcacihuātl (or Mictlancihuatl) was the skeletal Aztec goddess of
death. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the worship of
death diminished but was never eradicated. According to one account,
recorded in the annals of the Spanish Inquisition, indigenous people
in central Mexico tied up a skeletal figure, whom they addressed as
"Santa Muerte," and threatened it with lashings if it did not perform
miracles or grant their wishes.
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Another syncretism between Pre-Columbian and Christian beliefs about
death can be seen in Day of the Dead celebrations. During these
celebrations, many Latin Americans flock to cemeteries to sing and
pray for friends and family members who have died. Children partake in
the festivities by eating chocolate or candy in the shape of skulls.
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See more at
Santa Muerte - Wikipedia.
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Animal figurines under Our Lady of Holy Death.
The Nahua people of Mesoamerica believed that the soul comprised three
entities: Tonalli, Teyolía, and Ihíyotl, three souls in the body.
Tonalli is located in fontanel area of the skull. Teyolía is located in
the heart and Ihíyotl is in the liver. Each of these souls has its own
functions and protective deities.
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The essence of Tonalli was a force that could transcend the limits of
the human body. Parts of the Tonalli could reside outside the body in
objects and animals.
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Tonalli, along with Teyolia and Ihiyotl, was believed to direct the
physiological process of the human body. It gave a person character,
and was highly valued by the family and sought after in warfare and
ritual sacrifice. It was believed that Tonalli could be taken from a
human body and either offered to the gods as a form of debt payment or
acquired by the ritual person who touched the physical entity in which
they resided. The concept of Tonalli was not only limited to human
beings. It infiltrated animals, gods, plants, and objects used in
rituals.
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See more at
Tonalli - Wikipedia.
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The new roof of the church.
The 2017 Chiapas earthquake struck at 23:49 CDT on 7 September (local
time; 04:49 on the 8th UTC) in the Gulf of Tehuantepec off the southern
coast of Mexico near the state of Chiapas. Mexico's president called it
the strongest earthquake recorded in the country in a century. It was
also the second strongest recorded in the country's history, behind the
magnitude 8.6 earthquake in 1787, and the largest recorded globally in
2017.
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On September 7, the 8.2 magnitude earthquake severely affected the
church of San Lorenzo, this being one of the 54 churches that suffered
damage during the phenomenon in Chiapas.
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The mayor announced that remodeling work on the Zinacantán church
began on December 15, adding that patients were waiting for
rehabilitation, as 80 percent of its structure was damaged. "The main
damage is to the structure, cracks in the walls, columns, bell tower
and loss of the main roof."
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For now, he commented, the inhabitants built a galley to protect the
bells that are rung three times a day, as a tradition in the
municipality. “The 59 communities respect the bells very much, the
largest was found buried in a hill, and the inhabitants have revered
them a lot; now they have a 24-hour guard to protect them, no one can
ring our bells, except the sacristans and those in charge of the
church, after the earthquake,” he said.
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Finally, he added that they protect the 35 religious images that
belong to the San Lorenzo temple, since some are older than the
building itself.
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See more at
2017 Chiapas earthquake - Wikipedia.
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The narthex.
The narthex is an architectural element typical of early Christian and
Byzantine basilicas and churches consisting of the entrance or lobby
area, located at the west end of the nave, opposite the church's main
altar.
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Entrance to the large side chapel.
After entering the church, turning right, there is a large chapel with
several secondary altars.
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Small altar.
Small altar at the entrance to the large chapel with the portrait of
Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
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Jesuits did have much success in Latin America. Their ascendancy in
societies in the Americas accelerated during the seventeenth century,
wherein Jesuits created new missions in Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia;
as early as 1603, there were 345 Jesuit priests in Mexico alone.
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See more at
Jesuits - Wikipedia.
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Main altar of the large side chapel.
Entering the large side chapel, we see the main altar of this chapel in
the background.
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Praying at the main altar in the large side chapel.
Maya man praying on his knees on the floor of the chapel.
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Side chapel.
Side chapel with crucified Christ.
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The crucifixion and death of Jesus occurred in 1st-century Judea, most
likely in 30 CE or 33 CE. It is described in the four canonical
gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles.
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Crucifixions and crucifixes have appeared in the arts and popular
culture from before the era of the pagan Roman Empire. The crucifixion
of Jesus has been depicted in a wide range of religious art since the
4th century CE.
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See more at
Crucifixion of Jesus - Wikipedia.
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The other side chapel.
Chapel dedicated to Mary under the title of Most Pure
(Purissima).
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Parallels have been drawn between the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy
Mother. She travels to the hill country of Judea, where John leaps at
her approach, Elizabeth cries out and says "Who Am I that the mother
of my Lord should come to me", stays in Zechariah's home for three
months, blessing it. Afterward she goes to Jerusalem.
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See more at
Titles of Mary - Wikipedia.
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Over the white cloth is written: "I am the true bread that came down
from heaven." (Yo soy el pan vero bajado del cielo) (John
6:51).
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This means that behind the white cloth is the sacramental bread, also
called Communion bread, Eucharistic bread, the Lamb or simply the host
(Latin: hostia, lit. 'sacrificial victim'). The sacramental
bread is the bread used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist.
Along with sacramental wine, it is one of two elements of the
Eucharist.
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See more at
Sacramental bread - Wikipedia.
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Church of San Lorenzo from west.
Exterior view of the Church of San Lorenzo Zinacantán seen from the
west.
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Chapel of El Señor de Esquipulas
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Towards the chapel of El Señor de Esquipulas.
A short distance west of the church of San Lorenzo Zinacantán is the
chapel of El Señor de Esquipulas.
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The Black Christ of Esquipulas is a darkened wooden image of Christ
enshrined within the Cathedral Basilica of Esquipulas in Esquipulas,
Guatemala. It is one of the famed black Christological images of Latin
America.
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Pious legends claim the image was darkened due to Spanish missionaries
who wished to convert the natives who worshiped pagan nebular deity
“Ek-Kampulá” in the area.
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Entering the chapel of El Señor de Esquipulas.
Since before the arrival of the Spanish to the new continent, Esquipulas
was a known place of pilgrimage in Mesoamerica where the black warrior
god Ek Chuah was worshiped. For this reason, the evangelizing project
always took an ancient pre-Hispanic base on the which developed a
syncretism by mixing the old customs with the new beliefs, so that the
indigenous people continued to worship or venerate the same god but with
a Christian name.
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Among the Mayans it was common for the gods to be related to the
underworld, to darkness, for example Ek Chuah, to the Christ of
Esquipulas. The syncretism of the Christ of Esquipulas surely comes
from deities of dark color. There can be two: Ek Chuah, deity of
merchants or Ek Balam Chuah, the black puma of midnight or the black
puma of darkness that is at the bottom of the earth, there is its
enclosure.
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Interior of the chapel of El Señor de Esquipulas.
In the year 1594, when the Catholic religion had taken root, the locals
took advantage of an abundant cotton harvest and decided to commission
an image of Jesus crucified. Don Cristóbal de Morales hired the
Portuguese sculptor Quirio Cataño, who at that time lived in the city of
Santiago de los Caballeros in Guatemala, to create said image. The
artist delivered the commissioned work on October 4 of the same year.
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According to oral tradition, the inhabitants of Esquipulas traveled to
the city of Santiago de Guatemala to collect the image on the
estimated date and during the return trip those who saw it along the
way were amazed by its beauty and requested that it remain with them.
at least one night, in this way the tradition of pilgrimage to
venerate said image originated. Finally, the image arrived in
Esquipulas on March 9, 1595.
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Tradition also said that Quirio Cataño had used dark wood to sculpt
the image, so that it would more closely resemble the skin of the
inhabitants of Esquipulas, descendants of the Chortí people. However,
according to the architect Eduardo Andrade, during its restoration it
was discovered that it had originally been finished with a light tone
and that years of exposure to candle smoke, and the hands of millions
of faithful, gave it its characteristic dark tone.
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See more at
Black Christ of Esquipulas - Wikipedia.
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See also
Sources
Location
