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

In Santa María de la Natividad, Tamazulapan:

Altar
Angel
Christ in a Coffin
Christ in the Pretorium ("Pensive Christ")

Christ: Ecce Homo
Crucifix (1)
Crucifix (2)
The Immaculate Conception
Our Lady of Sorrows
Palm Sunday Christ
Sacred Heart of Jesus
St. Anthony of Padua
St. Isidore the Laborer
St. John the Baptist (Child)
St. Mary Magdalene
St. Michael the Archangel
St. Peter the Apostle

St. Teresa of Avila
Trinity

Unidentified Saint

Other santos not photographed

Tamazulapan: The Church of Santa María de la Natividad
Exterior of the church
The town of Santo Tomás Tamazulapan, or officially Villa de Tamazulapam del Progreso, is in the Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca. The church is named not for the town's patron saint but for Santa María de la Natividad,
'St. Mary of the Nativity." We shall begin our tour in the narthex with a "Pensive Christ" statue of Christ in the pretorium.

Photo © by Dimoru.