An unfinished church in the jungle
Lying in the heart of the Mayan region of Quintana Roo, the little village of Sabán -unassuming, little-known, but full of historical significance – offers the visitor a chance to appreciate a colonial building as interesting as it is beautiful: the church of St. Peter.
The structure goes back to the 18th century, and it was still under construction when the Caste War broke out in 1847, meaning it could never be finished. It remained without a roof, which according to the plans, should have been supported by semi-circular arches. Only one of these was constructed, while of the rest only the pilasters were built.
On the main facade we can see one of the most important iconographic elements to be found in the Peninsula: St. Peter, carved in stone, seated with his legs crossed. He is observing a rooster to his right, while a bunch of keys lies near his feet, two of his best-known hagiographic characteristics: the rooster in reference to the episode when he denied Christ, and the keys which symbolize the absolute power of Peter within the Church, both in Heaven and on Earth.
The church has two towers ending in cupolas which in turn have small arches on top. These served as belfries, and were reached by spiral staircases with details carved in dogwood.
On the 26th June 2023, during a field trip, personnel from the Quintana Roo INAH Center recorded the discovery of a baptismal font which had originally stood inside the church. The stone piece, broken in two and severely damaged, was found half-buried in a vacant lot about 150 meters (160 yards) west of the main entrance to the church.
In the 18th century, the village of Sabán, which lies 188 km (117 miles) southeast of Merida, was the largest and most populous settlement, after Tihosuco, in what is now Quintana Roo.
During the Caste War, the indigenous population of Sabán joined the rebels. Colonel Juan de la Cruz Salazar, charged with its defence, converted the church into an arsenal and powder store, but after eight months of constant clashes, he was forced to withdraw.
With the exception of the local chief Felipe Cauich, who remained loyal to the Yucatecan troops, the Maya threw in their lot with the cruzo’ob (a name used by the rebels to describe themselves, from the Spanish cruz, or cross, and the Maya plural ending o’ob).
Subsequently, Sabán gradually weakened in the face of constant attacks by government forces, until it was finally abandoned in 1853. The church was stripped of its bells and religious images, as the population moved to Chan Santa Cruz, now Felipe Carrillo Puerto, following the rise of the cult of the Talking Cross, the supreme symbol of the Mayan rebels.
Sabán, which is part of the municipality of José María Morelos, means “snake venom”, according to the Dictionary of Yucatecan Spanish. Around 1933 it began to be repopulated, thanks to land grants. The number of inhabitants slowly grew, until it became a regular-sized village.
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