Not far from Chichicastenango, at the top of a hill that dominates the town, there is a place of worship that is very frequented by the Maya Quichés of the region. There is an anthropomorphic volcanic stone idol, known in the country as Pascuala Abaj, accompanied by a few crosses, also made of stone, which testify to a marked influence of Christianity on the religion of the natives. The Indians frequently go to this place to venerate their gods to whom they offer candles, pieces of copal, flower petals and pine needles. They say prayers to the God of the World and sometimes sacrifice a chicken or a turkey, throwing the blood of these animals towards the four cardinal points. Similar places of worship can be found in remote areas of the Guatemalan mountains or tropical jungle, where a pre-Columbian stela is found. - 1977
