The Carved Crosses of Hidalgo: El Sauz

Located in a tiny hillside village southeast of El Cardonal, the shrine of El Señor de El Sauz is housed in a handsome church with a lofty, triple tiered tower and ribbed dome. The large atrium is enclosed by a brilliantly whitewashed wall topped with merlons at intervals. 

 

Inside the main gateway, facing the church, stands a cylindrical style stone cross of undoubted colonial origin, whose carved reliefs have been softened by layers of red paint. 
   Simpler in style than the El Cardonal cross, its stylized, dial like Crown of Thorns at the crossing in front is linked to bold, foliated vine reliefs entwined with fruit and flowers that swirl along the arms and down the shaft. 

  

Eroded reliefs of other Passion symbols are confined to the sides and reverse of the cross and include a Ladder, Spikes and the Rooster on the Column.
   As with the others in this region the El Sauz cross is capped by an INRI placard framed by large scrolls.

text ©2016 Richard D. Perry.  images courtesy of Diana Roberts

see some other Hidalgo crosses: Huichapan; Atlan; Tlahuelilpa; Anaya; Tezontepec; El Cardonal;