Located off of Cozumel’s main island road, about 10 miles south of downtown, the Maya Site of El Cedral is known as the location discovered by Spanish explorers on May 3, 1518 and the site of the celebration of La Santa Cruz, the Holy Cross, each May.
El Cedral, now a quaint village, was once a place to worship idols and offerings to the gods. Visitors are invited to explore the archeological site of El Cedral, nestled among Cozumel’s lush jungles, and can see the area by guided tour. Tours are available via horseback or a four-wheel drive vehicle. By venturing to El Cedral, travelers will experience a piece of ancient history as they go through the church’s structure and intricate arch that remains. Inside the ancient structure, paint and stucco that were used by the Maya to adorn the walls are still visible.
Each year the festival of El Cedral is typically celebrated from April 29 to May 5 to commemorate the Day of the Holy Cross. During the “War of Castes” in 1848, inhabitants of Sabán, a small town on the mainland of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, were driven out by the natives who attacked the population and demolished the town’s only church. Casimiro Cardenas, one of the survivors, was holding a small wooden cross when he awoke, thus believing that it was the cross that saved his life. Eleven families of Sabán fled to Cozumel in search of refuge, taking with them the small wooden cross. Once on Cozumel, Casimiro Cardenas and the other refugees swore an oath to pay homage to the holy cross. They vowed that if saved from torment and sickness they would celebrate God’s grace during the same time every year for the rest of their lives and the lives of their descendants.
At the fair, both residents and visitors can enjoy the many food stands, games, dancing and shopping displayed throughout the weeklong festival. Cozumeleños dress up in formal maya attire and perform traditional folk dances in the main square on the final evening of the celebration, May 3, the day of the Holy Cross (Día de la Santa Cruz). Particularly of note are the “Head of the Boar” and “The Ribbon” traditional dances that are performed. The event also features cattle exhibitions, races, rides and bullfights.
-Cozumel Promotion Board
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