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Procession personages up close and personal

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Good Friday, Holy Week, Jesús con la Cruz a Cuestas, Jesus, La Piedad, Mexico, Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores, Oaxaca, Pascuas, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, Señor de Esquipulas, Señor de La Columna, Señor de Las Tres Caídas, Semana Santa, Viernes Santo, Virgin Mary on April 5, 2015| 12 Comments »

I wasn’t brought up in the Virgin and crucified Christ tradition. No baggage, no boredom — perhaps that is why I find the multiplicity of María and Jesús images so fascinating. Thus, I can’t resist a little “up close and personal” at the Procession of Silence.

Señor de Esquipulas – Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen Alto

Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores – Parroquia de Santo Tomas Xochimilco

Señor de Las Tres Caídas – Parroquia de Santo Tomás Xochimilco

La Piedad

Jesús con la Cruz a Cuestas – Capellanía de Nuestra Señora del Patracinio

Nuestra Señora de los Dolores – Capellanía de Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio

Señor de La Columna - Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

Señor de La Columna (front) – Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

Señor de La Columna (back) – Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

The rituals and images continue to remain alien to me, but I can’t help but appreciate them as cultural expressions.

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Soledad’s morning stroll

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Christianity, Easter, Good Friday, Holy Mother, Holy Week, Mexico, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, procession, Semana Santa, Viernes Santo, Virgin of Solitude on April 3, 2015| 2 Comments »

Good Friday morning, the streets of Oaxaca are quiet, and solitude seems to be the order of the day. The only sounds that could be heard coming from the streets in my ‘hood were prayers being sung as Our Lady of Solitude left her eponymous home at the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad.

As you can see, alone, Oaxaca’s patron saint was not; acolytes carried and accompanied her on her morning stroll.

A crystal clear, brilliant blue sky provided a backdrop for her sojourn.

Slowly she made her way down Independencia en-route to the Cathedral.

She was one of the first to arrive at this ritual Viernes Santo gathering.

The guys took over and maneuvered her into position at the side of the Cathedral, as the faithful awaited.

There, she would soon be joined by other images of the Santísima Virgen and Jesús from many of the numerous churches in the Historic District.

After at least two hours of prayers and songs and more prayers, Soledad returned to the Basilica, perhaps to rest (like me) before again taking to the streets for this evening’s Procession of Silence.

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The savior, a burro, and a procession

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged culture, Domingo de Palmas, Domingo de Ramos, fruit, goats, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, offerings, Palm Sunday, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, religion, San Antonino Castillo Velasco, San Salvador image, Semana Santa on April 1, 2015| 13 Comments »

Another magical Domingo de Ramos spent in San Antonino Castillo Velasco. Experiencing Palm Sunday in this small Zapotec village never fails to nourish the soul.

A band played outside the panteón as villagers, from niños and niñas to abuelas and abuelos, arrived bringing their biggest and most beautiful fruits and vegetables, breads and baked goods, carved wooden toys and embroidered clothing, not to mention, goats, chickens, rabbits, and even a pig or two. Three silver-haired abuelas inspected each donation; their faces expressing gratitude and appreciation for each offering, as they affixed a price tag. Following the procession to the templo and a mass, all would be sold to raise money for the work of the church.

These were offerings to San Salvador, who sat proudly atop el Señor del Burrito, who was up to his ears in produce and bread.

At 11:00 AM, after prayers were offered in gratitude and for continued abundance in this fertile valley, led by the beat of two tambors and the high-pitched lilt of a chirimía, a procession to the church began. Palm crosses were distributed to villagers and visitors, alike, and many carried (or led, in the case of the livestock) the offerings that had been collected.

Once secured, it took twenty men to hoist and carry the bounty-laden anda, with San Salvador and the burro, a ritual reenactment of the Biblical story of Jesus entering Jerusalem riding on a burro to celebrate the Passover. As the procession made its way to the church, the rhythmic sounds were occasionally overpowered by shouts warning the men of topes (speed bumps) and low hanging telephone wires that must be navigated, and then there were the stairs leading up to the church atrium.

I cannot begin to express how warm and welcoming the people of San Antonino Castillo Velasco were. Countless times, as I was taking photos, officials encouraged me to come closer and villagers ushered me to the front. How many magical experiences can one person have?

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Sounds & sights of Oaxaca

Posted in Churches, Creativity, Culture, Health, People, Tragedy, Travel & Tourism, tagged Ayotzinapa, demonstrations, Escuela Normal Rural, graffiti, Guerrero, healthcare, La catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Leonel Castro Abarca, marmotas, Mexico, monos, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, protests, Santo Domingo de Guzmán, street art, sunset, urban art, workers on January 17, 2015| 2 Comments »

Ahhh, it feels good to be back in the warm and wonderful Oaxaca. There are the sounds… I awake to church bells, followed by the loudspeaker cry of “Gas de Oaxaca” from the propane vendor. Last night, as I was heading to bed, rockets exploded and, just now, the camote man’s steam whistle sounded, announcing tooth-achingly sweetened hot sweet potatoes and bananas. Then there are the sights…

The walls continue to talk… On Thursday, I saw this on Calle Morelos as I walked to the Alcalá and comida with friends. It remembers Leonel Castro Abarca, one of the 43 still-missing students from Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero.

On the way home from comida, I detoured to see what was to be seen on the zócalo. Teacher tents remain pitched around the bandstand, but the walkways were free of ambulantes, and, as always, the Cathedral presided over the scene.

Thursday, the familiar sounds of protest were irresistible. I grabbed my camera and headed out the front gate to see a massive march by healthcare workers on their way to the Plaza de la Danza. To be honest, tubas and cohetes would have had me out the door, too! It was way too quiet in el norte.

And, what can I say about last night’s sunset from the terrace?

Naturally, a marmota and pair of monos were waiting on the plaza in front of Santo Domingo this afternoon, awaiting a bride and groom to emerge. After all, it is Saturday — wedding day in Oaxaca!

I wonder what my ears will hear and my eyes will see, mañana…

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Change of scene

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Churches, Flora, Geography, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged Mexico, New York, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, snow, Templo de San Felipe Neri on January 15, 2015| 2 Comments »

View from my son’s deck, Monday afternoon in upstate New York…

View from my deck, Wednesday afternoon in Oaxaca…

What a difference 48 hours and 2000+ miles makes. Ahhh, it feels good to be warm again!

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Guadalupe is everywhere

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Virgen de Guadalupe, Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12, 2014| 8 Comments »

Today is Guadalupe’s feast day. This Queen of Mexico, Empress of America, and patron saint of Mexico is being celebrated all over Mexico and, apparently for the first time in Vatican history, today Pope Francis to Say Mass in Honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

In Mexico, it’s not just a one-day event. Wednesday afternoon, while Chris and I were giving our previously mentioned presentation at the Oaxaca Lending Library, only blocks away festivities began with a religious ceremony at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the side of Llano Park. It was followed that night with a calenda through the streets of the city. Yesterday, Guadalupe’s children, the little Juan Diegos and their peasant sisters, were brought by parents (and grandparents) to the Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (at the north end of Llano Park), where they waited patiently in long lines to enter the church to be blessed and then be photographed in “Guadalupe” scenes.

However, on the streets of Oaxaca, Guadalupe is seen everywhere and everyday…

The other big news from Rome, that Oaxaqueños are celebrating, is the Wealth of Oaxaca craft present in the Vatican Museum — a Christmas tree and Nativity scene decorated with artesania crafted by 142 Oaxacan families from 25 municipalities in the state. The exhibition was inaugurated on December 10 and will run through February 2015 — should you be planning a trip to Italy!

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Gluttony thy name is woman

Posted in Churches, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged barbacoa, barbecue, Basilica de la Soledad, cuisine, culinary traditions, dining, El Saber del Sabor, food, food festival, gastronomic festival, gastronomy, laborers, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on November 30, 2014| 3 Comments »

As if Thursday’s Thanksgiving of 2 turkeys, 2 styles of stuffing, 2 kinds of cranberry sauce, 2 types of potatoes (sweet and garlic mashed), and 2 desserts (pumpkin pie and chocolate cake) weren’t enough…. Believe it or not, Friday night, eating was again on the minds of neighbors (and co-Thanksgiving Day cooks) David and Marilyn and I, as we walked over to the Plaza de la Danza for the kickoff cena (dinner) of Oaxaca’s annual El Saber del Sabor gastronomy festival.

The transformation of the Plaza de la Danza began on Wednesday.

By Friday night’s dinner, it had morphed into an elegant banquet hall, with an open air rotisserie pit.

Fifty traditional cooks from the eight regions of Oaxaca offered guests a sample of the culinary wealth of the state.

The results were dazzling and delicious. All for only 300 pesos (a little over $20 US)!

On a clear cold night, with the Basílica de la Soledad looming above, there was also mezcal and music to warm body and spirit!

Following Thursday night’s inaugural banquet, the festival moves to Oaxaca’s upscale restaurants and other venues where, along with workshops and lectures, seventeen renowned chefs from around Mexico will be offering specially created gourmet menus. El Saber del Sabor closes tomorrow afternoon with a tribute to chef Pedro Ortega of Grupo Estoril, accompanied by a comida prepared by Ortega and three other distinguished chefs. Yummm… Alas, at 1500 pesos, it’s a little too pricey for me.

In previous years, El Saber del Sabor was held in late August and early September. I don’t know why this year it was moved to the end of November, but I do know Friday night was a little chilly for an outside venue and, for gringos, it was way too close to Thanksgiving — the gluttony was almost (but not quite) too much!

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Video mapping Soledad

Posted in Buildings, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Basilica de la Soledad, churches, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Manjares de Todos Santos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, slideshow, sound and light show, video mapping on November 1, 2014| 8 Comments »

As a treat for residents and visitors during the Muertos festivities, last night and tonight, the City of Oaxaca is presenting, “Manjares de Todos Santos” — a video mapping light and sound show at Santo Domingo de Guzmán and the Basílica de la Soledad. Last night was a mob scene at Santo Domingo, so we opted for Soledad, where we had a ringside seat.

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¡Espectacular!

Chris, of Oaxaca-The Year After fame, shot video and I will post a link when he gets it uploaded to YouTube. Update: And the link is: http://oaxacanyear.blogspot.mx/2014/11/mapping-la-soledad.html

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Rainy season rainbow

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Churches, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, rainbows, rainy season, Templo de San Felipe Neri, video Rainbows All Over Your Blues on September 9, 2014| 6 Comments »

Last year the rainy season was almost non-existent and the campesinos were worried. Four years ago it rained almost everyday from early July to late September and landslides and major flooding resulted. This year the rains have been on again, off again, and on again. But Mother Nature always manages to paint rainbows all over your blues.

View from Casita Colibrí of the bell towers of San Felipe Neri and the Indian laurels in the zócalo.

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Animal blessings

Posted in Animals, Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged animals, Bendición de los Animales, birds, Blessing of Animals, dogs, ferrets, Mexico, Oaxaca, pets, photographs, photos, Saint Raymond Nonnatus, San Ramón de Nonato, Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Merced on September 1, 2014| 8 Comments »

Under a cloudy sky, the faithful and their mascotas (pets) gathered in the plaza in front of the Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Merced for the Bendición de los Animales (Blessing of the Animals).

This annual event, held on August 31, celebrates the feast day of San Ramón de Nonato (aka, St. Raymond Nonnatus), patron saint of women in labor, persons falsely accused, and keeper of animals. This last, though not often mentioned, seems to come from the story that he was raised on a farm and, according to this website, “chose for his occupation the care of the sheep, in order to gain more time for prayer and meditation.” Today’s El Imparcial states that La Merced is the only church in the city with an image of the saint.

Here in Oaxaca, instead of sheep, San Ramón was surrounded by dogs of all sizes, shapes, and temperament. By far, they outnumbered all other animal species put together — except humans. Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable increase in pet (as opposed to roof and street) dogs in Oaxaca. Perhaps a sign of a growing middle class? And, many dressed for the occasion. However this dalmatian must have also paid a visit to a makeup artist. Lipstick on the collar (muzzle, forehead, and ear) of a new friend tells the tale (tail?).

There were also the other usual pet suspects — cats and kittens, though most looked like they would like to be anywhere else but there, and canaries and cockatiels, the latter both in cages and perched on shoulders. This guy seemed more interested in the pin-up girl lining his cage than getting blessed by a few drops of holy water from the temple’s priest, Víctor Hernández Antonio.

However, my vote for the most exotic pet of the day goes to the hurón, known in English as a ferret. Oh those piercing eyes and those claws. I’d hate to get on her wrong side!

I wonder… What do you think the abuelas and abuelos, who remembered the old days when it was donkeys, goats and farm animals who were led along Oaxaca’s dirt streets to be blessed, thought?

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Dawn beckons

Posted in Books, Churches, Travel & Tourism, tagged dawn, Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day, Diane Ackerman quote, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pink sky, Templo de San Felipe Neri on August 3, 2014| 9 Comments »

Last Sunday morning. What can I say? Sometimes the light…

Painting its own time zone… dawn summons us to a world alive and death-defying, when the deepest arcades of life and matter beckon. Then, as if a lamp were switched on in a dark room, nature grows crisply visible, including our own nature, ghostly hands, and fine sediment of days.

Diane Ackerman, Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day.
(New York: W. W. Norton, 2009), xiv.

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Just passing through…

Posted in Churches, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio Xochimilco, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, SCOM, stairs, street art, Templo de Santo Tomas Xochimilco, urban art, wall art on July 4, 2014| 6 Comments »

I felt like I was being watched, as I walked through Barrio Xochimilco this morning…

Stumbled upon, what could be, the stairway to heaven…

Just passing through…

Aren’t we all?

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The bells are ringing

Posted in Buildings, Churches, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged church bells, Iglesia de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora, Mexico, Oaxaca, Parroquia de San Juan de Dios, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Templo de San Cosme y San Damian, Templo del Carmen Bajo, Tlacolula de Matamoros on June 28, 2014| 2 Comments »

Awaking to the sounds of church bells chiming. I must be back in Oaxaca.

Templo del Carmen Bajo, Oaxaca de Juárez

Iglesia de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora, Tlacolula de Matamoros

Parroquia de San Juan de Dios, Oaxaca de Juárez

Church somewhere between San Baltazar Chichicapam and Oaxaca de Juárez

Anyone know the name and location of this church? I think maybe I should turn on my camera’s GPS!

And, just one more…

Templo de San Cosme y San Damian, Oaxaca de Juárez

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Holy blindfold, Batman!

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Mark, Holy Week, Jesus, Jueves Santo, Maundy Thursday, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Semana Santa on April 18, 2014| 4 Comments »

Last night, fortified by tostadas, guacamole, and a little vino, a gal pal and I set out for the Jueves Santo (aka: Holy Thursday and Maundy Thursday) tradition of visiting seven churches. According to that fount of knowledge, Wikipedia, “The tradition of visiting seven churches on Holy Thursday is an ancient practice, probably originating in Rome.”

We purchased our bag of Pan Bendito (bread that had been blessed) and set off. As always, the sidewalks were teeming with people in a combination of a semi-solemn pilgrimage, street festival, family night at the fair, and date night. (Of course, there was canoodling.) And, despite the “Entrada” and “Salida” signs on the doors of many of the churches, foot traffic was often gridlocked. I didn’t help matters when I stopped short. Jesus wearing a blindfold?

At another church, another blindfolded Jesus…

And, another…

Holy Thursday, Batman, how could I have missed these blindfolded Jesus figures in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013???

(For those, like me, who are clueless where this blindfold business comes from: According to the Gospels of Luke (22:64) and Mark (14:65), Jesus was blindfolded, mocked, and beaten following his trial and before his crucifixion.)

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Lord of the Little Burro

Posted in Animals, Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged culture, Domingo de Palmas, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, offerings, Palm Sunday, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, religion, San Antonino Castillo Velasco, Semana Santa on April 14, 2014| 3 Comments »

San Antonino Castillo Velasco continues to enchant. What’s not to like about a village known for growing flowers, decorating graves with designs created with flor inmortal (immortal flowers) during Día de los Muertos, and floral designs executed in exquisite embroidery?!!

Then there is Palm Sunday and the tradition of gathering at the panteón, loading El Señor del Burrito with locally grown bounty, blessing by the priest, an incense led procession carrying it to the church, and then selling it to raise money for a local orphanage.

It never ceases to amaze! The produce loaded onto the Little Burro, along with the overflow, was fantastic — enormous cabbages, the whitest of white cauliflower, perfect roses, cacao beans, squash, fruits, and on and on…

Then there are the people… young and old, they are always gracious and welcoming. And this year, under temperatures threatening 90ºF, women were circulating throughout the gathering crowd, offering thirst quenching aguas to stave off dehydration.

Oh yes, there were also kids and animals — and sometimes together! As I think I’ve mentioned before, children in these indigenous communities seem to always be included and when old enough (5 and up, I’m guessing), given responsibilities — joy and exuberance, along with patience and commitment, abound.