The Old Church of San Dionisio

Long ago, when the Spaniards arrived in El Salvador, they went to a place called “Ucelucla,” which in indigenous language means “The Place of Tigers.” The inhabitants say the Spaniards founded a town there and built a church so that the villagers could congregate.

The people who lived here were incredibly happy and positive; however, the gossip says that one day during a mass, the church suddenly sank completely into the earth.

Many people inquired why this had happened. Some believe the cause of the disaster was the church was very close to the sea. Due to this, the land of this place was very loose, and as the church weighed heavily, the land had ceded to, and the structure was sinking.

After they lost their church, the people decided to move since many attacks started by pirates from Meanguera Island who ruined everything in their path and stole all their treasures. Somehow the loss of their church created much fear in their lives. They believe the church gave them some protection from evil people like pirates.

Their leader Juan de la Frontera decided they were going to move farther north, where they founded a new city on the banks of the Rio Grande of San Miguel, which they named “Usulután.” In this place, they constructed a new church: “Cathedral Basilica of Queen of Peace.”

Although the area near the coast, where the people used to live, is completely depopulated. Some people say that yearly, specifically during Holy Wednesday and Holy Saturday, at the time they celebrate their mass, some unknown rings come from a bell. They can hear them from away, near the place where the old church sank, although no one lives there.

Not long ago, some archeologists recovered part of the structure (figure 1) that everyone can appreciate these days, mainly the tourists. However, the mystery of the belling rings during Holly Week is still there.

Figure 1. The old church of San Dionisio.

Inspired by Leyendas de El Salvador’s version.
Location: Calle a San Dionisio, El Salvador

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