Pascual Abaj, Sacred Maya shrine in Chichicastenango, Guatemala

Pascual Abaj is a stone cult image standing on a wooded hillside south of Chichicastenango that overlooks the surrounding valley. The figure sits within pine forests surrounded by open ceremonial spaces where people gather to perform rituals.

The stone figure stood in the main Maya temple where the church of Santo Tomás now stands in Chichicastenango. The K'iche' removed it before the Spanish conquistadors could find and destroy it, carrying it to the hill Turk'aj, where it was venerated in secret. In the 1950s members of Catholic Action badly damaged the image.

Local Maya spiritual leaders conduct ceremonies here throughout the year, leaving offerings of incense, flowers, and pine branches as part of their religious practice. Visitors can witness how communities maintain their ancestral traditions and spiritual connection to the land.

The site is located about three kilometers south of Chichicastenango town center and is reached by walking uphill through forest paths. Sturdy footwear is recommended since the trail passes through dense vegetation with uneven terrain.

The figure was badly damaged in the 1950s by members of Catholic Action, not repaired afterwards; the defaced stone still stands on its altar. Before that, it was described as a grotesque human figure about one metre high, with a large head, high pointed forehead, circular earspools, crossed arms and a sculpted cord holding an inverted severed head.