Jewels that take us back in time
Santa Elena lies 110 km (68 miles) south of Merida, neighboring the municipalities of Muna, Oxkutzcab, and Ticul, and the state of Campeche. The original name of this settlement was Nohcacab, which according to Alfredo Barrera Vásquez translates as “the large town”.
During the pre-hispanic era it was part of the lordship of Tutul Xiu. Under the colony, it was assigned to the ecclesiastical district known as the Hill Country; and y después de la Independencia, en el siglo XIX, se integró al Partido de Ticul.
The old town of Nohcacab was the scene of fighting during the Caste Wars, and because of its location on a rise, the church of St. Matthew was used as a fort. In 1848, when the Mayan rebels had left, the village was re-established, and at the request of the Justice of the Peace and the inhabitants its name was changed to Santa Elena.
Diego López Cogolludo notes that Nohcacab was a visiting village for the Monastery of St. Anthony of Padua at Ticul, founded in 1591. The present church of St. Matthew was completed in 1779, as recorded in an inscription located above the main entrance. A primitive church or chapel probably existed previously, since the inscription in question mentions that the church was begun in 1591, and one of its bells is dated 1592.
In the interior there is a splendid set of altarpieces, which deserve to be considered unique treasures of Yucatecan sacred art. The main reredos is from the 18th century. It has three levels, and is most notable for the hand-painted decoration of floral motifs, the depiction of the symbols of Christ’s passion, and the Franciscan emblems.
In one of the side chapels, attached to the wall, is a Baroque altarpiece with two sections, possibly 17th century. It is of carved wood, with a wealth of ornamentation in the form of plant motifs, Franciscan emblems and Solomonic columns, as well as a simple bas-relief in the pediment at the top depicting the coronation of the Virgin Mary. A feature of especial interest in both pieces is the evidence of the work of Mayan master craftsmen, whether carpenters, painters or woodcarvers.
Portable altarpieces are wooden boxes with covers or doors, inside which a statue or religious painting is kept, whether it be of Christ, the Virgin, or some other saint.
This type of artwork has existed since the Middle Ages, and were used by priests during liturgical celebrations which took place outside the church, for example during military campaigns.
Although there is no exact information regarding the age of the ones held at Santa Elena, it is possible that they date from the late 16th or early 17th century, and that they were used by Franciscan friars during their work of evangelization, especially when they toured round the so-called Visiting Villages.
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