The Priest’s Cave

Many years ago, in Culuco, Nahualism was widespread. This was an ancient art that allowed people to shapeshift into animals. Its local sorcerers were experts on it. However, one day, they committed a serious offense against the Catholic Church. One that really enraged it.

In those days, the inhabitants of Culuco were terrified by almost every animal. No one was sure if an animal was an animal, or it was one of the sorcerers! Some assured, they could transform into any animal you could imagine, dogs, cats, cows, etc. Their powers were unmeasurable. At any moment, any animal could revert back to its human form and frighten them to death. Many people often fainted and lost their belongings after these experiences.

However, one Thursday during the winter solstice of 1855, an important priest decided to go there and organize a special mass. He organized it in a beautiful church inside the cave (figure 1). He started his mass, but strangely no parishioners arrived. He was shocked because the people in Culuco were very faithful humans. Suddenly all kinds of animals came to dance and make loud noises at the doors of the church.

Figure 1. The Priest in the Cave.

The priest was enranged because the animals were disrespecting the mass and the Almighty. Dogs, cats, black iguanas, turkeys, and many other animals kept arriving without stopping. He desperately chose to leave the church and the town for good.

At the church’s entrance, he buried a Jesus Christ’s picture while he cursed the city:

“Let these unbelievers and cursed people pay a huge price for their disrespect to the Almighty!

 Culuco must pay the highest price and their actions must be remembered forever!”

A short time later, there were massive earthquakes in El Salvador. They destroyed the ancient church and damaged the town greatly, including its reputation.

Weeks later, a man (probably one of the sorcerers) spread a rumor all across El Salvador that a priest cursed Culuco’s people. This rumor became so prevalent that until today, many people believe in it.

However, not everyone agrees with this story. In recent years, some inhabitants of Culuco believe there is a “cursed cave” in their city among the Agua Caliente River hot springs. A cave cursed by the devil himself.

Nowadays, many people come to enjoy the hot springs of this charming place. However, if you’re a couple whose love is pure, you will discover a cave that is half-hidden under a small waterfall where you could bathe in its magical and crystalline waters. This is a secret that some people shared with me one day, maybe you could prove it.

Inspired by Leyendas de El Salvador’s version.
Location: Caluco, El Salvador

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