The church at San Bernabé Ixil is a virtual twin to its neighbor at Cholul. As at Cholul, the rugged 17th century church was grafted onto a 16th century open chapel, which is now the sanctuary.
The facade was reworked in more recent times with the addition of the two belfries. The limestone relief of the patron St Barnabas holding a cross and the Gospel of St Matthew is the notable surviving colonial remnant in the church front.
Like Cholul too, Ixil retains sections of polychrome murals around both the sanctuary arch and the apse, most likely dating from the late 1700s. Although unsophisticated in their draftsmanship, they are richly colored in varying shades of red, blue and orange.
Above the archway, between the folds of a framing, rust red curtain, the figure of St. Barnabus, the patron saint, is flanked by floral urns and two heraldic angels perched on clouds playing horns.
In the apse, God the Father looks down from the painted vault, and at the rear, another pair of angels on clouds hold ribbons inscribed Oración (Prayer) and Silencio (Silence). The figures are complemented with passages of elaborate floral decoration and polychrome friezes.
Another striking mural, on the nave ceiling, depicts a cross with the Host and a dove set above a globe encircled by a serpent.
text © 2020 Richard D. Perry
images by the author and © Niccolò Brooker. all rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment