The Jolja’ Cave Project

The Day of the Cross

Before the breakdown of the civil-religious hierarchy at Tumbalá, Jolja’ played an important role in Tumbalá’s Day of the Cross ceremony. In Catholic mythology, the Day of the Cross (May 3) commemorates the day in A.D. 326 when St. Helena (Elena) was said to have discovered the three crosses of Calvary on which Christ and the two thieves were crucified. Although it is no longer part of the official Roman Catholic calendar, Catholics in Latin America continue the tradition of celebrating this day. Most Day of the Cross celebrations include aspects of pre-Columbian rain rituals because May 3 coincides with the start of the rainy season, and the Ch’ol region is no exception. In the past, tatuches from Tumbalá always went to Jolja’ to ensure that the rains would be adequate. With the radical social changes happening in the region, these visits now only occur during periods of drought.

Joloniel’s Day of the Cross ceremony has also diminished but still includes a full day of rituals at Jolja’ with events occurring at both Cave #1 and Cave #2.  The formal rituals began at 8 AM at the Joloniel church. Candles, incense and liquor were offered to the Virgin del Carmen who is the patron saint of the village. An image of the Virgin and a cross were then transported in a procession up the mountain to Jolja’ and set up at the mouth of the river cave (Cave #2). Prayers and offerings of candles and liquor were made by the Joloniel tatuch while five musicians provided musical accompaniment. The Virgin was then left at the river cave, and the procession ascended to the upper cave (Cave #1). After a ceremony at the mouth of the cave, the participants moved to Chamber 1.  For several hours, prayers and offerings of candles, incense and liquor were made to Don Juan and the three crosses of the chamber. Again the musicians provided accompaniment. During this period, numerous people from the community came and went. Although it is the custom to journey to the back of the cave to perform a formal petition for rain, this aspect of the ceremony was deemed unnecessary because the rains had already begun. Nevertheless, individual petitioners still made offerings in front of the large stalagmite column at the rear of the cave.

After concluding the Chamber 1 rituals, the procession returned to the mouth of Cave #2, and continued making prayers and offerings for the remainder of the afternoon. In late afternoon, the procession moved down the mountain with the Virgin and eventually returned to the church near sundown for further prayers and offerings. These ceremonies continued on until well after midnight.

Although the Maya ate a variety of foods, corn was, and still, is their staple. Corn seed can not be successfully stored for longer than a year in the heat and humidity of the tropics. It was, therefore, imperative that the annual corn harvest be a success, and that success was dependent on the rain cycle. It should, thus, come as no surprise that the Maya’s most sacred deities, locations and pilgrimage sites were associated with the production of rain.

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