Even leftover decorations from a Día de la Samaritana agua station in front of an abandoned building are beautiful in their own way.
Seen on García Vigil at the corner of Jesús Carranza.
Posts Tagged ‘Día de la Samaritana’
Remains of the day
Posted in Buildings, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged abandoned buildings, Black and white photography, Día de la Samaritana, decorations, Mexico, Oaxaca, paper flowers, photos, popular travel destinations on April 2, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Celebrating the Good Samaritan
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged agua fresca, bougainvillea, bugambilia, Día de la Samaritana, Good Samaritan day, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations on March 30, 2019| 14 Comments »
If you are in Oaxaca and it’s the fourth Friday of Lent, it must be Día de la Samaritana, an “only in Oaxaca” celebration. This Day of the Good Samaritan was inspired by the Gospel of John story in the New Testament where a tired and thirsty Jesus, on his way to Galilee, asks a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in Sychar for some water.
Decorating a well outside the Cathedral
Sign proclaiming the day, seen on the Alcalá
His request was highly unusual because, according to the Old Testament, “Jews regarded the Samaritans as foreigners and their attitude was often hostile.” The woman complied with his request and the rest is history.
Scene at the well outside Templo de San José
Live actors waiting to reenact the scene
Celebrating the Good Samaritan in Oaxaca began in the atriums of churches at the end of the 19th century and is a popular and much-loved tradition. Thus I joined thousands of Oaxaqueños and visitors, clutching cups, and wandering from one decorated agua station to another sampling their offerings.
Samaritana station serving nieve at the Municipal Palace
One of scores of agua stations on the Alcalá
People of all ages, from small children to grandparents, lined up at bougainvillea and palm decorated booths in front of churches, restaurants, businesses, schools, and even the city’s municipal office building for the traditional Día de la Samaritana free aguas.
Hand painted ollas in front of Templo de Sangre de Cristo
Hand painted jicara gourds waiting to be filled with tejate
These “water stations” are often decorated in a violet shade of purple, the color of Lent, symbolizing penance and royalty. And, the ollas (pots) holding the aguas seem to get more decorative every year.
Agua stations along the Alcalá
Watermelon and mint agua station on García Vigil
We are not talking plain water, these are divinely flavored aguas frescas made with fresh fruits, herbs, flowers, and more — jamaica (hibiscus), horchata, chilacayote (squash), tamarindo, sandia (watermelon), tejate, and nieve (sorbet). Even taxi drivers played the role of Good Samaritans.
Nieve station in doorway of lingerie store on Independencia
Taxi drivers host agua station on the Alameda
In previous years, the aftermath hath wrought mountains of garbage — cans overflowing with plastic and styrofoam. However, this year, in the name of the environment, an appeal was made for people to bring their own cups. And, I think a majority complied!
On the Alcalá above Santo Domingo
An olla with Agua de chilacayote (type of squash)
And me? After almost two hours, three aguas (watermelon with mint, cucumber with mint, and chilacayote), a nieve of leche quemada and tuna, and being surrounded by smiling people enjoying this celebration of generosity, I returned home with my heart full of love and gratitude for the traditions of Oaxaca.
Bougainvilleas, aguas & Good Samaritans
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged bougainvillea, bugambilia, Día de la Samaritana, Día de las Aguas, Good Samaritan day, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on March 4, 2016| 4 Comments »
If it’s the fourth Friday of Lent and you are in Oaxaca, it must be Día de la Samaritana — a wonderful “only in Oaxaca” celebration. From bougainvillea decorated stands in doorways throughout the city and banquet tables lining the Alcalá in front of Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo…
… divinely flavored aguas frescas made with fresh fruits and flowers — jamaica, horchata, chilacayota, tamarindo, among other colorful and refreshing beverages — were offered.
Día de la Samaritana is inspired by the Gospel of John story in the New Testament: At noon, a tired and, apparently, thirsty Jesus, on his way to Galilee, asks a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in Sychar for some water. His request was highly unusual because, according to the Old Testament, “Jews regarded the Samaritans as foreigners and their attitude was often hostile.” The woman complied with his request and the rest is history.
For me, the day embodies the warm, welcoming, and generous spirit of the people of Oaxaca. It’s just another reason why I love living in Oaxaca.
Offering aguas
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged bougainvillea, chila, Día de la Samaritana, Día de las Aguas, Good Samaritan day, Horchata, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on March 14, 2015| 1 Comment »
Yesterday was the fourth Friday of Lent and, if you are in Oaxaca, that means Día de la Samaritana, where, believer or not, you will be offered aguas from doorways and street-side tables set up in front of churches, restaurants, hotels, government agencies, and private homes.
I got a late start; unseasonable rain was threatening and the grey sky had made it hard to leave my cozy apartment.
But, what can I say? Horchata, sandia, guayaba, coco, chilacayota, chía con limón, and even tejate and nieves were offered with smiles, free of charge, to all passersby.
Within a block, I happily and gratefully accepted a large plastic cup of horchata; another one followed, and later, a styrofoam cup of chilacayota.
It had begun at noon, but by 2 PM, all that remained were branches of Bougainvillea, empty ollas (pots), ladles with nothing to dip into…
and empty cups.
Good Samaritans
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged agua fresca, Día de la Samaritana, Día de las Aguas, Good Samaritan day, Horchata, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on March 30, 2014| 4 Comments »
If you are in Oaxaca and it’s the fourth Friday of Lent, it must be Día de la Samaritana (AKA, el Día de las Aguas) — a uniquely Oaxacan celebration. It is inspired by the Gospel of John story in the New Testament: At noon, a tired and, apparently, thirsty Jesus, on his way to Galilee, asks a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in Sychar for some water. His request was highly unusual because, according to the Old Testament, “Jews regarded the Samaritans as foreigners and their attitude was often hostile.” The woman complied with his request and the rest is history.
By noon, this past Friday in Oaxaca, the thermometer had already reached 90º F in El Centro Histórico and people of all ages, from small children to abuelos, were already lined up at bougainvilla and palm decorated booths in front of churches, schools, and businesses for the traditional Día de la Samaritana free aguas. It wasn’t just plain water they were waiting on, it was for divinely flavored aguas frescas made with fresh fruits and flowers — jamaica, horchata, chilacayota, tamarindo, sandia, and others. However in front of the churches, prior to the offering of aguas, there was a reenactment of Jesus and the Samaritana, as well as a priestly blessing — and an article in Noticias reported that, given the blazing hot sun, some in the crowd became a little impatient.
All were eventually served and the streets were filled with smiling people drinking a rainbow of aguas. Within an hour the serving pots, pitchers, bowls, and buckets were empty and all that remained were garbage containers filled to overflowing with plastic cups.
By the way, talking to my friend Sam, who teaches at Universidad José Vasconcelos de Oaxaca, they had an aguas frescas contest — memorable combinations of watermelon with strawberries and lime; atole with tuna nieve; and coconut with strawberries. However, I was informed the day’s winner was the piña colada — alas, minus the rum, I’m thinking.
Day in the life
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Parks & Plazas, Politics, Travel & Tourism, tagged Cocina Economica Isabel, Día de la Samaritana, huevos divorciados, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, political rally, PRI, Tuna band, Viernes del Llano on March 28, 2014| 6 Comments »
Eight hours today in Oaxaca…
Tuna band in Llano Park
A queen and her consort at Viernes del Llano
Huevos Divorciados at Cocina Economica Isabel
Día de la Samaritana agua on the Alcalá
PRI march and rally at Plaza de la Danza
The good samaritans of Oaxaca
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Food, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Chilacayota, Día de la Samaritana, Día de las Aguas, Good Samaritan day, Horchata, Lent, Mexico, nieves, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on March 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »
You know Semana Santa is on the horizon when tables, large and small, elaborately or minimally decorated, miraculously appear in doorways, street corners, and the Alcalá. The common denominator is smiling people offering Agua de Jamaica, Horchata, Chilacayota, and even nieves to all passers-by. Día de la Samaritana (Good Samaritan Day) is an only-in-Oaxaca, 4th Friday of Lent, event.
This year, besides experiencing the joyous mob scene on the Alcalá and the small sidewalk stands on side streets, on a tip from a friend, I made the “taking your life in your hands” crossing of Calzado de la República to the picturesque cobblestoned neighborhood of Jalatlaco. Tables of aguas and nieves lined the plaza in front of the Templo de San Matías Jalatlaco and pastor Víctor Hernández was recounting the Biblical story, found in the Book of John, of the woman at the well who offered water to Jesus — the inspiration for Día de la Samaritana. He concluded the story and blessing with the word “¡ataque!” and the masses did, indeed, attack the tables! By the way, pastor Hernández gets around — he was the same priest who performs the yearly blessing of the animals across town at the Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Merced.
It was a hot day and having already had two aguas, as I made my way over to Jalatlaco, I was jonesing for a nieve but, alas, by the time I figured out which table was serving it, the line was too long. So, giving up on the nieve, I accepted another agua and headed towards home. However, in the true spirit of the day, as I was melting in the heat, an older gentleman standing on the sidewalk asked if I would like a nieve and gestured toward a woman standing in the doorway behind a small table. “Sí” I replied and a styrofoam coffee cup filled with Leche Quemada (my favorite) was thrust into my hand. Another sublime day in Oaxaca…
Water, water, everwhere…
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, tagged Agua de Jamaica, agua fresca, Chilacayota, Día de la Samaritana, Día de las Aguas, Good Samaritan day, Horchata, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca on March 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »
…and, Agua de Jamaica, Horchata, and Chilacayota to drink! Yesterday, the 4th Friday of Lent, was Día de la Samaritana (Good Samaritan Day), an only in Oaxaca tradition.
Inspired by the Biblical story, in the Book of John, of the woman at the well who offered water to Jesus, long tables and small stands laden with massive containers and plastic cups are set up on sidewalks throughout the city by schools, churches, and businesses.
These “water stations” are decorated in purple, the color of Lent, symbolizing penance and royalty.
Crowds rapidly gather and wait to be served the agua of their choice and, despite hours of standing, ladling, and replenishing, all are served with a gracious smile and genuine joy.
By early afternoon the Alcalá was a sea of people.
This is definitely NOT a made for the tourist event.
This is Oaxaqueños practicing the sharing and hospitality that informs much of their culture.
Good Samaritans and Litter Bugs!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, tagged Día de la Samaritana, Día de las Aguas, Good Samaritan day, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca on April 1, 2011| 4 Comments »
Today, the fourth Friday of Lent, is Día de la Samaritana, also known as el Día de las Aguas, and a uniquely Oaxacan celebration. It is inspired by the Biblical story of the woman at the well who offered water to Jesus. And so, here in Oaxaca churches, schools, and businesses offer passersby free cups of horchata, aguas frescas, and some, even ice cream.
Decorations began going up around town yesterday…
Sidewalk stands are set up, some more elaborate…
than others…
And, what does one do with the empty (and not-so-empty) cups?
Decorate a window sill, of course!
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