Santa Cruz Tultenco

Photos: Catedrales e Iglesias/Cathedrals and Churches, Attribution 2.0 Generic

The Santa Cruz Tultenco Chapel is a little-known historic chapel operated by the Parroquia de la Santa Cruz y la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo. The same parish operates the church of Santa Cruz Acatlán just to the northwest. Both of them were part of a very old indigenous town called Tultenco.

The town, during the ancient period, was a tiny island off the southern coast of Tenochitlan. Later, the town of Tultenco was itself outside the city walls of Mexico City during the colonial period and made up one of many villages clinging to the edges of the old Calzada de Tlalpan (to the west) and the La Viga Canal to the east. In fact, the town was well positioned to benefit from traffic on both sides.

Construction of this tiny chapel began in the late 16th century and was completed within the following century. An inscription  within the main entrance reads “Abril 25 enpeso esta obra se acabo 9 julio 1681 años.” (April 25 began construction) that was finished July 9, in the year 1681. In fact, it was already quite old when the inscription was made.

The inside of the church was renovated in the 19th century and a small cemetery was dedicated in 1834. Victims of an 1850 cholera epidemic were buried here. The cemetery was later lost but in 1953 the nave was expanded.

Today’s Colonia Transito bears a much later name from the 1930s. Housing units were built for the workers of the Cooperative Society of Construction and Consumption company that was also known as Tránsito. But many residents remain well aware of the long history of the indigenous people who lived here and whose remains were interred outside of the Santa Cruz Tultenco Chapel.