Holy Week | View From Casita Colibrí

Posts Tagged ‘Holy Week’

Lord of the Redemption

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Festival of the Lord of the Redemption, Festividad del Señor del Rescate, Holy Monday, Holy Week, Lunes Santo, Mexico, Moon, Oaxaca, Pascuas, photographs, photos, processions, Semana Santa, Stations of the Cross, Via Crucis on March 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Lunes Santo (Holy Monday), at least here in Oaxaca, brings the Festividad del Señor del Rescate (Festival of the Lord of the Redemption). I was clueless, until I ran into my neighbor Juan as he was returning from work. He recommended that I and my camera check out the action in the vicinity of the Basílica de la Soledad. I grabbed my keys and little Lumix and off I went.

I heard the rhythmic beat of the tambor and chanted prayers before I saw El Señor and his followers paused in front of the bunker at the entrance to the Comisión de Seguridad Pública, Vialidad y Protección Civil headquarters on Av. Morelos. An ironic or fitting (?) site for the handcuffed Jesus to stop on the Víacrucis por la Reconciliación y la Paz (Way of the Cross for Reconciliation and Peace).

On this Lunes Santo, the (almost) full moon watched standard bearers navigate the maze of overhead wires as the procession continued to wind its way through the city’s streets. As for me, I returned home to eat dinner — there is so much going on, one has to pace oneself.

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Semana Santa begins

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged animal figurines, Chia Pets, Día de la virgen de Dolores, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, papel picado, photographs, photos, Semana Santa, virgen de dolores, Virgin of Sorrows on March 19, 2016| Leave a Comment »

While technically Semana Santa (Holy Week) doesn’t begin until Sunday, the six weeks of Lent has gently ushered us toward it. Tourists, a majority from other parts of Mexico, have begun filling the streets, purple and white papel picado flutters from on high, and an artisan market has been set up on the Alcala, above Santo Domingo.

Salvia Hispanica (aka, chia) sprouting from terracotta clay animals decorates altars — seeds which were blessed on February 2 (Feast of Candelaria). According to an article in MexConnect, “Growing greens remind the viewer of the resurrection and renewal of life.” By the way, this is where the US entrepreneur who borrowed (stole) the idea and, in the late 1970s, gave the world “chia pets.”

And yesterday, the 6th Friday of Lent, El Día de la Virgen de Dolores (the Virgin of the Sorrows) was celebrated. Her tearful eyes looking to the heavens in anguished sorrow.

Tomorrow is Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) and El Señor del Burrito in San Antonino Castillo Velasco beckons.

FYI: Vive Oaxaca is posting Semana Santa events on their website.

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With the women and children

Posted in Celebrations, Children, Creativity, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged Carnaval, Carnival, chicken, children, Easter, Holy Week, mascaras, masks, Mexico, mole amarillo, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Semana Santa, Teotitlán del Valle on April 8, 2015| 2 Comments »

It’s Carnaval time in Teotitlán del Valle. Yes, I know, Easter was last Sunday and Lent is over. However, like many other things (e.g., not going on Daylight Saving Time), this Zapotec village does things their own way. Thus, instead of celebrating Carnaval the day before Lent begins, they celebrate for the five days following Easter! As I’ve written about previously, Carnaval in Teotitlán is a major production that indeed takes a village; young and old, female and male all have parts to play in the festivities that include music, masked men, mezcal, and mouthwatering mole.

Yesterday, rather than sitting with the men and scattering of male and female extranjeros, gal pal J and I hung out with the women and children in the outdoor kitchen that had been set up in the back of the large earthen courtyard. There the women prepared enough chicken, mole amarillo, and tortillas to feed one hundred!

The seemingly always well-behaved kids played and took care of the babies while their mamas and abuelas worked.

Muchisimas gracias to the women and children of Teotitlán del Valle’s Segunda Sección for being so gracious and welcoming.

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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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Patiently waiting

Posted in Travel & Tourism, tagged cell phones, Easter, Good Friday, Holy Week, Lágrimas de San Pedro image, Mexico, Oaxaca, penitents, photographs, photos, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, Religious standards, Scouts Mexico, Señor de la Humildad y Paciencia image, Semana Santa, Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Viernes Santo on April 4, 2015| 4 Comments »

As far as I’m concerned, Señor de la Humildad y Paciencia was the patron saint of Friday’s, Procession of Silence. He waited for hours inside the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, while we waited for hours outside, for the procession to begin.

At least he was sitting down. For the penitents, their lot was a lot of standing around.

Some of the participants passed the time joking around (and occasionally teasing this gringa blogger), others looked incredibly bored, but all remained patiently stationed in place. After all, in the words of one guy’s t-shirt, “don’t panic,” it will eventually start.

Then, there is always one’s cell phone to provide a bit of distraction.

The 6 PM start time for the procession came and went, as did the daylight and my hope for taking any decent photographs of the actual procession. (One of these days, I will master night photography of moving objects, she says, hopefully!) It looked like even San Pedro was looking to the heavens for divine intervention to get the show on the road.

About 6:45 PM, with lights flashing, a small phalanx of motorcycle police signaled our prayers had been answered and a hush fell over the multitudes lining the sidewalks, streets, and balconies — the Procesión del Silencío had finally begun.

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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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Just between you and me…

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged Baile de Los Viejitos, Between, Carnaval, Carnival, Dance of the Old Men, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Semana Santa, Teotitlán del Valle on June 21, 2014| 4 Comments »

Tête-à-tête between Viejitos (I know, I’m mixing languages), seen between the shoulders of two municipal leaders, on the Municipal Plaza in Teotitlán del Valle during this year’s previously mentioned Carnaval.

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Not your traditional Carnival

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged Baile de Los Viejitos, Carnaval, Carnival, Dance of the Old Men, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Semana Santa, Teotitlán del Valle on June 12, 2014| 3 Comments »

True confession: I’m not in Oaxaca! I arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area a week ago for a 3-week visit. While I love seeing family, friends, “my” mountain (Mt. Tamalpais), and the Pacific Ocean, it also means bone-chilling summer fog, driving instead of walking most everywhere, and the absence of my regular blog fodder — no calendas, ferias, festivals, saints days, bandas, and urban art. (Though, I will probably head to San Francisco for the latter!)

However, this break-in-the-action gives me time to look back through thousands of photos and create posts that had been put on the back-burner when something bigger, better, or more timely cropped up.

So, here we go, back to Friday, April 24, 2014 — the last of five days of Carnaval in Teotitlán del Valle.

While there are masks, costumes, men dressed as women, and merriment, this is not your Christian pre-Lenten Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras Carnival.

This is a pre-Hispanic celebration that happens the Monday through Friday after Easter, not before Lent.

Via El Baile de Los Viejitos (the Dance of the Old Men), it brings the community and elected leadership together to remind each of their social contract — in an extremely humorous way.

A procession, gathering participants along the way, leads to the Municipal Plaza, where it seems as if the entire village assembles.

And, of course, the dance and ritual continue late into the night…

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Portraits of Jesús

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Good Friday, Holy Week, Jesus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, Semana Santa, Superstar lyrics, Viernes Santo on April 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Good Friday wasn’t all about Mary. Viernes Santo processions present larger-than-life images of Jesús in all his piety and suffering.

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar
Do you think you’re what they say you are?

— Superstar, lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber

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Portraits of María

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Good Friday, Holy Week, La Virgen María, Liza Bakewell, Mexico, Oaxaca, Perilous Journeys, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, Semana Santa, Viernes Santo, virgen de dolores, Virgen de La Soledad, Virgin Mary on April 21, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Good Friday in Oaxaca… Jesús may be the one who they say was crucified and resurrected, but María is never far from his side.

From frequent traveler to Oaxaca, Liza Bakewell’s book, Madre: Perilous Journeys with a Spanish Noun:

One can travel all over Spain and its former viceroyalties and never see as many elaborately bedecked and bejeweled Virgins as one will see here in Mexico — neither in number, nor in glory. Yes, in Peru there are many famously ornate ones. In Colombia, too. Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador have their share. The Philippines is a runner-up. But Mexico has all of them beat. Marian devotion, the worship of the Virgin Mary in all her forms through song, prayer, writing painting, sculpture, and shrines, went wild in Mexico. (p. 169)

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Felices a todos!

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, holidays, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, Pascuas, photographs, photos, Semana Santa on April 20, 2014| 2 Comments »

From the streets of Oaxaca today, wishing you happy Easter Sunday…

Four Twenty Day…

almost Earth Day…

And, though nothing seen around the streets of the city, a happy Passover!

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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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Good Friday morning to you

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Christianity, Easter, Estaciones de la Cruz, Good Friday, Holy Mother, Holy Week, Jesus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Semana Santa, Via Cruces, Viernes Santo on April 18, 2014| 5 Comments »

And so, Viernes Santo began…

Processions from churches in the Historic District began at 7:00 AM.

They converged at the Alameda, on the south side of the Cathedral,

where “our Lord meets his most Holy Mother going towards Calvary.”

The faithful, now as one, then proceeded east on Independencia…

along with the images of Mary and Jesus…

stopping along the way at Stations of the Cross.

I left at 9:30 AM — they were still going. Early this evening, all will again gather for the Procession of Silence. No rest for the faithful or weary bloggers!

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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.