The Resurrection - Mexican Style

Last night I watched an amazing celebration at the San Antonio Church. The plaza in front of the church is large and it was full with families who came prepared with stools for the elders to sit on or for the Mom's who were holding little ones. Around the edges there were vendors selling fast food and others selling candles of all sizes.

When we first arrived the music and prayers sounded solemn like many of the Semana Santa services and processions that I have seen in the last week but suddenly fireworks erupted from the roof and the bell towers of the church.

 

 

Up from the grave he arose;

with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;

he arose a victor from the dark domain,

and he lives forever,

with the saints to reign.

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah!

Christ arose!  

 

 

 Christ appeared with his arms outstretched and his white shroud loosened and flowing from his body. He was carried on a pallet covered in flowers through the plaza above the heads of the crowd. White balloons soared into the night sky, confetti drifted from the roof of the church as more and more fireworks lit up the sky. The music changed from solemn to snappy contemporary rhythms and everyone was singing and waving white pompoms. On the terrace of the church the priest was leading by waving a pompom and jumping up and down. A young man by the priest was like a cheerleader urging the crowd on.

 

We watched this joyful celebration for about 30 minutes and it was still going on when we left the plaza. It was the most joyous and beautiful religious ceremony I think I've ever been to.

 

 

 

 

Good Friday Procession in Colonia San Antonio

 

It has been a long day. Since going out to photograph the procession, I've been at the computer trying to figure out a couple of issues in publishing a book on Blurb. Everything I've found out has led me to another problem that has to be researched. My brain is fried but I did want to share some images from the procession today. Today was the first time I have seen a painted sawdust carpet. It was a block long and it was beautiful. Most impressive.

Maybe my unconscious brain will work on my book problems while I sleep. Tomorrow is another day.

A Religious Travelogue on Palm Sunday

Jesus was on the move today. He started at the Parroquia. I caught him waiting for his ride.

He got a little help from four nice gentlemen.

Now he is ready to roll. I hear he is headed to Parque Juarez to join up with hundreds of supporters

Heading home. He lost his ride but found another form of transportation for him and his donkey and the donkey didn't mind either one. Coming back from the Parque, one half of His supporters cleared a path in front with palm fronds waving in the air and a drum and bugle corps and the rest followed behind him with more songs and more palm fronds.

I didn't stay to see the end of the journey but I have heard that he made it safely back to the Parroquia. His supporters went into the Parroquia with him and stayed a while to listen to the Priest and then when the bells rang again they all filed out to go find somewhere to eat Comida. I don't think Jesus will be lonely this week because everyday more processions of supporters will be filing in to say prayers.

Viernes de Dolores

 The beginning of the Easter season started last Sunday with the arrival of Senor from Atotonilco to the San Juan de Dios church. Tonight is Viernes de Dolores, Friday of Sorrows. I've written several times in my blogs about this night of altars in homes so I'm not going to do that again but it is likely that every year I'll go out to photograph it.

It is hard to photograph. The light is low and usually very yellow or orange and sometimes there are two different colored light sources in one frame or it is a spotlight right into the lens of your camera. I've tried different things to balance the color somewhere between what it was and neutral but I'll probably second guess myself in the morning. A tripod is a hindrance rather than a help and even if you have a tripod people still move.

This morning walking home from centro I have found something to add to my list of things to photograph during Easter. It is in front of the Ramirez Mercado where stalls are set up in the street to sell the flowers, herbs and grass for making the altars. The street was shut to car traffic and tarpaulins were stretched this way and that to block the sun. It was lovely. I have already marked my calendar for 2015 so that I will not forget. I hope that by next year I can attach a tag to the file that will send you the wonderful smell of the herbs.

 About the little girl in the first image, she is adorable isn't she. I had just stepped in the doorway to photograph the altar and I glanced to my right and there she was, handing me a refreshment. I just hit the shutter button and this time it worked...well with a bit of cropping it worked.

Easter

Easter....brings back memories of Easter eggs and Easter baskets, chocolate bunnies and three little boys all dressed in their new Sunday suits and shoes. Church. Singing, "Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o'er his foes." Easter egg hunts. Sunday dinner with family. Ham and potato salad. Cakes and pies, maybe homemade ice cream. Boys on a sugar high. Easter was a time of new clothes, white shoes and a new hat. Spring flowers, leaving the old behind, fresh beginnings.

A time to remember Jesus and the resurrection but once I became a Mother I always thought about Mary, his mother who lost her son. This morning on CBS Sunday Morning News there was a segment about how Mary, over the course of three or four centuries, came to be deified although she is hardly mentioned in the Bible except for the birth of Jesus and his crucifixion. I find her statue in most of the Catholic churches I go into. If I could not pray directly to God, I'd pray to Mary. I think she would understand.

Friday of Sorrows

Tonight I photographed some of the Viernes de Dolores altars in my Colonia. If you would like to see some more of the images click here to go to the gallery.