We have no pictures from Santa Cruz Mixtepec.
La Santa Cruz
Wood.
Covered in bay leaves.
Location: Left of the Soledad, along the north wall of the nave.
Palm Sunday Christ
Four feet tall.
Location: Left of the Santa Cruz with bay leaves, along north wall of the nave.
Christ Fallen with Cross, 5½'.
Location: Left of the San Isidro, along the north wall of the nave.
Christ Carrying Cross, 5½'.
Location: Left of the Christ Fallen, along the north wall of the nave.
El Señor de la Misericordia
Crucifix; orange.
Carved teeth.
Location: On the same altar with the San Sebastian, described below.
Soledad
Full crown.
Fabric garments; 5'.
The crown is disproportionately large. The figure has fine features and long hands. The mantle is of lamé brocade.
Location: First statue along north wall of nave.
San Isidro, 2'.
Dated 1981, rough folk art. There is a snarling dog between the bullocks.
Location: Left of the Palm Sunday Christ, along the north wall of the nave.
Sacred Heart
Location: Apse, in glass case left of main altar.
San Jacinto
Baby on left hand.
Polychrome; 3'.
This is the only polychrome we saw in the church.
Location: Upper center of retablo of main altar.
La Santa Cruz
Wood.
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 the 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.
Virgin with Heart
The case corresponds in size and design to that containing the Sacred Heart on the other side of the apse.
Location: Apse, glass case right of main altar.
San José
Sheaf of lilies in left hand, no baby.
Wood, gesso, paint; glass eyes, carved hair; 6'.
The figure looks upward, in the manner of San Juan Evangelista 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.
Location: On an altar along the south wall of the nave.
La Madre de los Dolores
Head tilted back, hands together in prayer, blue garment.
Fabric garments over frame; wig; 6'.
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.
Location: On the same altar along south wall of the nave as the San José described above.
San Sebastian
Arrows in body
Glass eyes; parted lips; 4'.
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.
Location: Another altar along south wall of the nave.
San Juan Bautista
Severed head only.
Glass eyes, painted hair; life size.
There is a painting of the paschal lamb at the back of the case.
Location: On a third altar along south wall of the nave, on plate, in a glass case.
San Francisco
Franciscan habit. Two white birds on book in left hand.
Wood, gesso, paint; 4'.
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.
Location: On the same altar as the San Juan described above.
Trinity
Seated.
Wood, gesso (?), paint; 2½'.
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.
filename: trinimix.htm
El Dios de la Muerte
Christ in coffin.
Closed eyes, wig; closed mouth.
The coffin lacks glass but is covered with a plastic sheet. The face is well done.
Location: Midway along the south wall of the nave.
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.
Previous church
