Glimpses of a lost jewel
The beautiful monastery complex dedicated to St. Michael Archangel is the most obvious architectural witness to the colonial past of Maxcanú: a quiet, picturesque town 65 km (40 miles) from Merida, where the vast majority of inhabitants are indigenous Maya-speakers.
Like many communities in Yucatan, Maxcanú traces its origins to the pre-hispanic Mayan period, when it formed part of the lordship of Ah Canul. Later, during the time of conquest and evangelization, the town was designated a Franciscan mission district and an encomienda.
According to the renowned Mayan expert Alfredo Barrera Vásquez, the name Maxcanú is made up of two parts: maax, which may mean a spider monkey, or a local variety of wild chile, and Canul, which refers to the dynasty that governed the ancient Mayan lordship.
Standing in the center of the town, the centuries-old monastery is one of the finest and best-preserved in the region. Friar Diego López Cogolludo writes that it was founded in 1603 as a local headquarters, covering the visiting villages of Kopomá, Hopelchén and Halachó. The present church was built between 1678 and 1709.
Despite having undergone various alterations during the course of its history, the monastery still houses several remarkable jewels of sacred Yucatecan art, the most outstanding of which is the gilded reredos behind the high altar.
Dr. Bertha Pascacio Guillén, art historian, has carried out a meticulous study of this piece, which has brought to light the precise details regarding the construction of what may be considered one of the most beautiful altarpieces in Yucatan, not only for its artistic merit, but also for the profusion of materials that went into its making.
It was built between 1778 and 1783 on the initiative of the parish priest Josef González. The piece is made of cedar wood from Kochol hacienda, which belonged to Father Gonzalez’ family. A whole team of master craftsmen were involved in its construction: carpenters, sculptors, painters, silversmiths and gilders, including Ignacio Matos, Damián Carbajal, Marcelo Guillermo, Francisco García and the painter Tomás Salazar.
The reredos at Maxcanú is remarkable for being one of the few examples of a completely gilded altarpiece, covered in gold leaf, to survive in Yucatan. Dr. Pascacio writes that the old high altarpiece in Merida may have been taken as a model. The latter was inaugurated in September 1762 and destroyed when the Cathedral was sacked by soldiers under General Salvador Alvarado, in September 1915.
The reredos rests on a base or predella which features busts of the four Evangelists. It consists of three horizontal levels, divided into three vertical sections, and a gable on top with a depiction of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Originally, the niches contained beautiful images of angels and archangels, including the patron St. Michael, whose feast is celebrated on the 29th of September.
Unfortunately, these statues were destroyed in 1915, when the historic church was sacked, and many of the colonial-era treasures within were ruined. Today, the reredos is home to various religious sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries.
This jewel of Yucatecan sacred art can be viewed every day during parish services.
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