Photographed at the site by Claire and Richard Stracke San Pedro Mártir

Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico
St. Peter Martyr (Axe in head, palm in right hand, book in left). 
Plaster? Painted eyes, approx. 5 feet tall.

If this statue is indeed wood rather than plaster, it must have been thickly repainted. On a plaque behind the statue are these words:

"San Pedro Martir / Nació en Verona, Italia. Año de 1205 / Murió asasinado este ilustre predicador, gloria de los padres Dominicos el 29 de Abril de 1252 / La causa: Servir al pueblo. Como lo hizo nuestro Señor Jesucristo / Culpables: La secta heretica de los Cátaros y un asesino a sueldo."

That is, "St. Peter Martyr / Born in Verona, Italy, in the year 1205 / This famous preacher, glory of the Dominican fathers, was assassinated on the 29th of April, 1252 / The reason: Serving the people, just like our Lord Jesus Christ / Those responsible: The heretical sect of Catharists and a hired assassin."

More of St. Peter Martyr

Photo: Claire and Richard Stracke. This photo is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.