The Main Altarpiece

Inside the church at its east end stands Ucú's principal attraction: the late 17th century altarpiece.
During a recent restoration, it was discovered that the lower part of the retablo was gilded beneath a surface layer of blue paint, thought to have been hastily added during the turmoil of the Revolution to protect the precious gold and silver leaf from Salvador Alvarado's advancing federal troops.

Now the retablo has been entirely regilded, its dense filigree ornament gleaming brightly as of old. The retablo is skillfully executed, with ornate spiral columns resting on unusual atlantean figures.

Some of the figure sculptures remain, notably the Virgin of the Nativity herself, and San Luis Obispo, an earlier patron of the church, whose carved and gilded colonial statue has also been restored.

< Another outstanding feature is the attractive folk relief of the Holy Trinity at the apex of the retablo, ( shown left) also newly repainted and gilded. (detail courtesy of Diario de Yucatan)

Other colonial santos stand in the nave, notably a harrowing Crucifixion figure, and another, more elegant statue of Christ of the Sacred Heart (shown right) costumed in fine estofado detail. >

Although the original painted panels were missing from the altarpiece, six colorful new oil paintings were created in a compatible style by the local architect and painter Noemy Vallado Negroe, four depicting Nativity scenes and two with portraits of the Four Evangelists on the base panels.

There are also several figures of Christ in the church, among which the 17th century statue in the baptistry is especially striking.

Although Christmas is celebrated at Ucú, the principal village festival is the feast of the Virgin of the Nativity, observed, as elsewhere in Mexico, on September 8th.