“Mountain of flowers”. Does the name Santa Cruz Xochitepec intrigue you? It should. We are in one of Xochimilco’s original settlements. Santa Cruz Xochitepec is nearly entirely oriented toward the Cerro de Xochitepec. The town has slumbered for centuries on its eastern slopes.
Santa Cruz Xochitepec’s origins lie in the Nahua past. The town still retains a distinct cultural identity. The region was influenced by Cuicuilco and Teotihuacán civilizations. The Nahuatl-speaking Xochimilca peoples began arriving in the 10th century CE.
Back then, Xochitepec was named Tepepan. It meant simply “in the mountains”. Later, the name Xochitepec was adopted. It means “hill or mountain of flowers”.
Let’s talk about the iconic cross. In the early 17th century, a tradition began. The village people started carrying a heavy wooden cross down from the mountain top to the chapel. This procession still happens each year on May 3rd. It is the Feast of the Holy Cross. The cross remains in the church atrium for some days. The festival takes place around it.
These festivities became essential. The townspeople re-dedicated both church and town to Santa Cruz. Today, it’s uncertain. Is the town center the church atrium and graveyard? Or is it the hilltop visible from most parts of the town?
Legend says that in 1890 a villager from Santa Cruz Xochitepec was arrested in Tlalpan. He had been out after curfew. He was forced to work on the royal road to Cuernavaca. He managed to escape. He was chased from San Pedro Martir to the top of Cerro de Xochitepec. There, he desperately clung to a small cross. He begged for protection. His pursuers passed by without seeing him. He escaped for good. In gratitude, he erected a monumental cross. Since then the Holy Cross has been venerated in this town.
The Cerro de Xochitepec is now a protected environmental reserve. It separates Santa Cruz Xochitepec from the Military College. This is in San Andrés Totoltepec in Tlalpan.
The hill of Xochitepec is easily distinguished. You can see it from almost anywhere in Xochimilco. Its most distinctive feature is the large cross. It stands at the summit. It measures 8 meters high by 4 meters wide. It is adorned with flowers and colored ribbons. These represent offerings and requests.
Every year, during the festivities of the Santa Cruz, around 50 people lower the monumental cross down the hillsides to the town church, in the midst of an atmosphere of joy. The festival lasts as long as the cross remains in the church. It is then raised again to be placed on the summit.
Locals have a strong connection to the hill. They see it as a life-giver and a key part of their community. Santa Cruz Xochitepec is a remarkable small town. It has done much to protect its heritage. As a natural and environmental heritage site, it is also an inspiring destination.