- DSC07159
Tzutujil Maya woman wearing a tocoyal headdress. She is showing us the embroidered trousers traditionally worn by Tzutujil men, featuring a bird motif common in textiles from Santiago Atitlan. - DSC07169
Market, Santiago Atitlan Bird's eye view of the market. This is a common perspective for arte naif paintings, and was arguably developed either in Santiago Atitlan or San Juan la Laguna - DSC07171
St. James - DSC07173
Mural of the resplendent quetzal - DSC07175
St. James the Apostle Church, which dates back to 1568. - DSC07177
St. James the Apostle church has a tragic history, as it is where a beloved Catholic priest was martyred during the civil war / genocide of the 1980's. Father Stanley Francisco Rother, a priest from Oklahoma, had been the pastor here since 1968. He was devoted to his parishioners. He learned the Tzutzujil language, and translated the Bible into Tzutzujil so that those who did not know Spanish could understand its teachings. As indigenous people were being slaughtered, Father Rother provided sanctuary for them within this church. He did everything that he could to protect them. Even when he received death threats, he did not back down. He would not abandon his flock in their time of need. As a result, he was brutally murdered in 1981, and is considered a martyr. Blessed Rother was beautified on September 23, 2017. There was a huge celebration in Santiago Atitlan, where he is still greatly beloved. - DSC07180
St. James the Apostle church - DSC07184
Icons of saints are dressed in traditional local clothing, with the outfits changing for various Catholic holidays throughout the year. The statues are cared for by Cofradias, or brotherhoods. - DSC07189
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St. James the Apostle Church - DSC07193
Blessed Stanley Rother - DSC07194
The sacred effigy of Maximon, the folk saint of Santiago Atitlan, is no longer allowed to enter the church. However, there are wood carvings depicting his image below the altar. During Semanta Santa (Holy Week leading up to Easter), Maximon's effigy resides in this small domed room next to the church. - DSC07195
Tyson on the steps of St. James the Apostle church. - DSC07198
View from St. James the Apostle church - DSC07199
Mural, Santiago Atitlan