Temple of Santo Thomas
Description:
The Church of Santo Tomas was built in 1540 in Chichicastenango, in honor of St. Thomas, the patron saint of this small Guatemalan trading town. Every year, on the twenty-first of December, the local population organizes festivities with songs, dances and fireworks in honor of their favorite patron, images of St. Thomas are also carried through the streets.
The Catholic Church of Santo Thomas was built on the foundations left over from the sanctuary of the ancient Indians. It contains a copy of the ancient book “Popol Vuh” revered by the Mayans, which translates as the Book of Peoples. It contains the entire system of Indian history and cosmography.
18 steps lead to the church covered with white plaster, their number corresponds to the number of months in the ancient Maya calendar, each of which consisted of 20 days. The interior of the church combines Catholic and Indian cultures.