Have you ever wondered about the stories etched into the stones of a colonial-era church? Here at San Lucas Atenco in Azcapotzalco we find such a place. Officially known as the Church of San Lucas Evangelista, San Lucas Atenco stands as a unique temple from Mexico’s colonial past.
San Lucas Atenco’s history began long before the Spanish arrived. This area was once an original calpulli. Calpulli were similar to family-based tribes. They were under the control of the Tepanec lordship like most of Azcapotzalco.
Atenco, its Nahuatl name, means “place at the water’s edge.” The townspeople of San Lucas Atenco were known as skilled goldsmiths. Legend says that the smiths of San Lucas Atenco melted down the Treasure of Axayacatl. They acted under the orders of Hernán Cortés. These gold and silver ingots were easier for the Spanish to carry during their retreat from Tenochtitlan in 1520.
Franciscans and Dominicans then evangelized Azcapotzalco. The Dominicans assigned the ancient calpulli of Atenco to St. Luke the Evangelist. To build an early chapel they demolished a prior ceremonial site. This site was called a teocalli. Some of the teocalli stones may still be visible in the chapel’s deepest parts.
The San Lucas Atenco church we see today began in the late 16th or early 17th centuries. For many decades it served as an open-air chapel. Its facade of arches faces the atrium. A low wall enclosed the atrium only in 1973. San Lucas Atenco actually consists of two chapels. The older one is the open-air chapel. Local people were evangelized here.
By 1616, workers from San Lucas Atenco crafted jewelry. They made similar craft items for Viceroy Fernández de Córdoba. The town also had two textile mills. Cattle ranching dominated most of the area throughout the colonial era.
In 1897, a lawyer named Ángel Zimbrón became head of the Federal District government. He lived in Azcapotzalco and owned the old San Lucas ranch. Zimbrón subdivided the land and sold lots. This marked the neighborhood’s entry into the 20th century. San Lucas Atenco, besides its church, became part of the larger Del Recreo neighborhood.
Today the small neighborhood near Parque Bicentenario still bears Ángel Zimbrón’s name. Metro Refinería is located here. It is convenient to the church and the neighborhood. It is also close to the park and orchid farm.
San Lucas Atenco stands as a testament to time. It is a reminder of ancient settlements and colonial influence. As you leave San Lucas Atenco consider the layers of history. Think about the hands that shaped this sacred space.