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
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)
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!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Christianity, Good Friday, Holy Week. Semana Santa, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, ritual procession, Viernes Santo on April 3, 2013| 8 Comments »
The Semana Santa poster said the Viernes Santo (Good Friday) Procesión del Silencio was to begin at 6 PM in front of Preciosa Sangre de Cristo. Knowing the drill, I arrived at 4:45 to take photos as contingents and participants arrived — but nobody was there. The old antiwar slogan, “What If They Gave a War and Nobody Came” came to mind.
Of course it was going to happen, it’s just that time isn’t what it seems here. Word on the scene had it that, despite the poster info, it wasn’t to begin until 6:30 PM. No worries! Well, except that Mexico doesn’t begin Daylight Saving Time until next weekend, the light began rapidly fading, and 6:30 PM became 7 PM. Por favor, let Oaxaca’s 27th annual Parade of Silence begin!
And it eventually did — up Macedonio Alcalá, left at the Cruz de Piedra, left again on García Vigil to Independencia, another left, and back up the Alcalá. And so, in darkness and silence the procession returned to the church where it all began. Contingents could be heard late into the night parading through the streets of the city, as they returned the Jesuses and Marías to their respective home churches.
Lots more photos can be seen over at Oaxaca-The Year After.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Cofradía, Confraternity, Mexico, Oaxaca, penitents, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, Semana Santa, Viernes Santo on March 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »
In Oaxaca the penitents gathered…
in front of Preciosa Sangre de Cristo on Good Friday…
preparing for the Procession of Silence.
For those who are wondering, “What’s with the hoods (capirotes)?” The answer can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Members of lay religious charitable organizations (cofradías) would don the masks and hoods to guarantee anonymity and promote humility in their service.
From the Holy Week in Seville, Wikipedia page:
At the heart of Semana Santa are the brotherhoods (Hermandades y Cofradías de Penitencia),[1] associations of Catholic laypersons organized for the purpose of performing public acts of religious observance; in this case, related to the Passion and death of Jesus Christ and to perform public penance.
The brotherhoods, besides the day-to-day work in preparation for the processions, also undertake many other self-regulated religious activities, and charitable and community work. Many brotherhoods maintain their own chapel, while others are attached to a regular parish.
The Spanish brought the tradition to Mexico and penitents continue to play a major role in the Viernes Santo, Procesión del Silencio in Oaxaca.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Estaciones de la Cruz, Good Friday, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, ritual procession, Semana Santa, Stations of the Cross, Via Crucis, Viernes Santo on March 30, 2013| 2 Comments »
And so Viernes Santo (Good Friday) began…
Mass said, a Vía Crucis (Stations of the Cross) procession through the streets of my neighborhood.
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Holidays, Religion, tagged Bible, Christianity, culture, Good Friday, Jesus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs, Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, ritual procession, Viernes Santo, Virgin Mary on April 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »
The back of the official 26th anniversary t-shirt for the Good Friday, Procesión del Silencio, doesn’t come close to telling the tale.
Images of belief add texture to the ritual procession of mourners grieving the crucifixion and death of Jesus, as related in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.
But it’s the eyes of believers…
that gives the narrative a silent voice.
And, grieving mothers everywhere understand.
No matter where one lands on the belief continuum, it’s hard not to be moved.
(ps) For lots more terrific photos, take a look at Chris’s posting, The Procession of Silence.
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Holidays, tagged Christianity, culture, Good Friday, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs, Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, Viernes Santo on April 7, 2012| 6 Comments »
In front of Preciosa Sangre de Cristo Templo on Viernes Santo (Good Friday), waiting for the Procesión del Silencio (Procession of Silence) to set off up the Álcala, down Garcia Vigil, and back up the Álcala to Sangre de Cristo.
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Cofradía, Confraternity, Procesión del Silencio, Viernes Santo on April 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »
More than one norte americano has asked, “What’s up with the KKK-like hoods?” Ahh… a reference question for the librarian!
They date back to 15th or 16th century Europe. Members of lay religious charitable organizations (cofradías) would don the masks and hoods to guarantee anonymity and promote humility in their service. The Spanish brought the tradition to Mexico.
References:
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, Procession of Silence, Semana Santa, video, Viernes Santo on April 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »
The Procesión del Silencio departed from the Iglesia de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo and proceeded up the Alcalá to Gómez Farias, where it turned left and left again and down García Vigil to Independencia and then back up the Alcalá. Once the procession began, fellow blogger Chris (Oaxaca-The Year After) and I left the masses on the Alcalá and positioned ourselves on a wall overlooking García Vigil, for an unobstructed view.
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Good Friday, Mexico, Oaxaca, Procession of Silence, Semana Santa, Viernes Santo on April 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Spectators, participants, and the ever-present vendors waiting for the Procesión del Silencio…
More to come…
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Estaciones de la Cruz, Good Friday, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, ritual procession, Semana Santa, Via Crucis, Viernes Santo on April 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »
I opened the front gate this morning to find the sidewalk had morphed into an Estación de la Cruz.
Worshipers prayed, recited the appropriate devotions, and then slowly moved on.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 