Señor De Nenthe Chapel

The Chapel of Nenthé was, for several hundred years, the true spiritual center of Aculco. From 1702 until 1943, a much older church stood here. It even looked like the parish church just a few blocks away. It fell into disrepair and today only the atrial cross remains. The building we see today was erected on the same plot of land between 1943 and 1948.

Known as the Sanctuary of the Lord of Nenthé, the original church was likely badly damaged during the Cristero War in the late 1920s. But that is only the most recent legend of the site. Aculco's long agricultural history and temperamental climate meant that local farmers were often at the mercy of available water. During one of these droughts, the original chapel caught fire in the dusty and dry conditions. Some image of Christ, unfortunately lost to history, was found intact even despite the flames. A spring of water had emerged, and the people never forgot. That would have likely occured at the turn of the 18th century.

Later, during the long Independence movement, in the 1810s, the Lord is thought to have again intervened on behalf of at least one of the soldiers. Many passed through the town during those years. The soldier was said to have been fleeing the Insurgent loss to Felix Calleja during the 1810 Battle of Aculco. 

Nenthé is an Otomí word meaning “next to the water.” The original chapel was built on the banks of a stream, at this lowest part of the village. The relative dampness is thought to have been responsible for some of the damage to the older church.  

The newer church is much more modern and even displays an early use of the parabolic arches that would come to be representative of later 1950s modernist church architecture. This is not much consolation for those seeking a glimpse into the deep and mysterious history of the place. But knowing a little about the Lord of Nenthé will give you some appreciation for the chapel's historical connection for the region, and its people.