All about Iglesia de Santa Lucía in Mérida (2025 Guide)

I think this is one of those places where knowing a bit of historical background really makes a difference if you want to understand where you are.

Iglesia de Santa Lucía is a small church next to the Parque de Santa Lucía, a small but very popular park in Mérida. The park is lined with neo-colonial houses, many hosting charming restaurants with outdoor seating.

The church stands in a shady courtyard, half hidden by tall trees. I actually walked past it the first time without noticing. But that’s not by accident – it was never meant to be immediately visible to just anyone passing by.

The reason is that, as it was in earlier times, mainly mulattos and people of color lived in Santa Lucia and attended church there, as they were not allowed to enter the Catedral de Mérida on the main square.

Read on, the church has an exciting story to tell...

The Church of Slaves and Servants

For decades, the people of color who were brought to Mérida for forced labor outnumbered the whites in Mérida. The Franciscan missionaries had jurisdiction over the Maya and forbade the Maya for forced labor.

Due to the shortage of labour, people of colour and mulattoes from Cuba and other Caribbean islands were brought to Mérida. Santa Lucia thus became the parish church of slaves and servants.

One of Mérida’s Oldest Churches

The construction of the church was completed in 1575, making it one of the oldest churches in Merida. The first thing you notice is its beautiful dark red color, although the church, like most churches in Mérida, is quite simple.

The southern part of the atrium of the church used to serve also as the first cemetery in Mérida and was used as such until 1821. In fact, the shady courtyard you see today was the first burial place for the city's slaves and mixed-race population.

There used to be a monastery at the back, which has now been converted into a hotel. Since the church is surrounded by tall trees, you will hardly find a photo in which it can be seen in its entirety.

Who Was Saint Lucía?

Lucia, born around 283 in Syracuse and martyred in 304, is an early Christian saint. Her name means "the shining one," from the Latin lux (light). Though her mother wanted her to marry, Lucia had vowed to remain a virgin for Christ.

A legend says that Lucia sent in her desperation her torn out eyes to her fiancé, whereupon the Mother of God gave her back even more beautiful eyes. Her rejected bridegroom then accused her, whereupon she was tortured and finally executed.

The canonized Saint Lucía is today the patron saint of the blind, the poor, sick children and cities. The festival of Santa Lucía is celebrated on December 13th.

The Nearby Parque de Santa Lucía

Iglesia de Santa Lucía is located next to Parque de Santa Lucía, a historic oasis in the heart of Mérida. Built in 1542, it is one of the city’s oldest parks, just three blocks from the iconic Plaza Grande.

Every Thursday at 9:00 pm, the park comes alive with the Yucatecan Serenade, an open-air dance event celebrating music, tradition, and community.

The Drumming of the Slave Spirits

When Governor Valdelomar began renovating Santa Lucía in the 19th century, local residents (people of color and mulattoes) were worried about being relocated. To prevent unrest, the governor warned that any riot would lead to a ban on public drumming.

Drumming and singing African songs was one of the few forms of cultural expression allowed in the neighborhood of Santa Lucía. It was not uncommon to hear the melodies of West Africa wafting through the neighborhood streets in the evenings.

Martin Bonaficio, a respected freedman from Santa Lucía, was sent to mediate. He convinced the governor to drop the drum ban threat. Protests only broke out later, when the cemetery was cleared without revealing where the remains were taken.

This was seen as an act of desecration, so the West African drums rang out in anger and songs were sung to draw attention to the desecration. It is said that the ground around the church was saturated with blood, which is why it still has a rusty color today.

And it is said that when the church of Santa Lucía was painted white, blood flowed from the stone walls, which is why the church was painted red.

Martin Bonafacio promised that the drums of Africa would be heard in Santa Lucía forever and that he would make sure it stayed that way.

In the summer months, when Mérida is almost deserted, the faint echoes of distant drums can still be heard today and there are reports of deep drum rhythms wafting through the streets in the afternoons.

Many say it’s the souls of tortured slaves beating their drums to drown out Governor Pérez Valdelomar’s cries from hell. Others claim to see the ghost of Martin Bonafacio sweeping leaves in the church courtyard.

When you see the apparition of a 19th-century black man in the church courtyard or hear the gentle sound of drums, remember the history that lies at your feet.