Semana Santa Processions

Photos from the stations of the cross processions and Good Friday’s  Santo Encuentro procession.

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Pilgrimage from Atotonilco to San Miguel

Two sunday’s before Easter, Sr. de la Columna, the Virgin of Dolores and San Juan are removed from their places in the santuario,
wrapped in silk scarves, covered, then carried in an all night pilgrimage to San Miguel for the upcoming Semana Santa celebrations and processions.

Last Saturday night, my friend Elvia, her son and daughter Roberto and Karen and I
accompanied the statues from the church courtyard to San Miguel along with about 20,000 other pilgrims.

2011 Pilgrimage from Atotonilco to San Miguel de Allende from Suzanne da Rosa on Vimeo.

Beto and Elvia

We arrived in the plaza at about 11:30 and waited for the ‘Imagenes’ to appear. At midnight, the bells rang, banners and luminarias were brought forth and the three Imagenes, carried on litters, came out of the church.

Atotonilco, the saints lowered while mass is said

A short mass was projected over a loud speaker and the procession began following the route through el Cotijo, to the capilla on the  highway for a 3am mass, proceeding to a small pueblo whose people had decorated the entry with a carpet of flowers and sawdust images with arches of palm and large paper flowers.

The participants were varied – elderly men and women, very very old people being held up between two family members, babies carried in arms and strollers, teenagers, adults, groups of men in white hats leading song, women who walked the entire route, 8 hours, all night, in bare feet.

Midnight in the plaza at Atotonilco

Karen and Gisela, 3 am across from the chapel

After the rosay the procession wound it’s way, accompanied by singing to the top of Avenida Independencia where we were greeted with fireworks, and a mile of decorated street. People poured in from everywhere to watch the unveiling and procession to the San Juan de Dios Church at dawn.

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Semana Santa 2010

Semana Santa is the ultimate act of faith,
Performed by the community in public,
A series of one costumed re-enactment after another
Depicting each aspect of the last week of Jesus’ life.

At the Iglesia de San Antonio,
On the Thursday of the siete casas,
There is a re-enactment of the trial and sentencing.
The front of the church was decorated in palm trees and hills.
The apostles, in their colorful satin robes,
Spread themselves across the steps
Awaiting the Roman soldiers, Jesus and Pontious Pilot.
The women of Jerusalem sweep in, swaying and weeping.
The trial and sentencing is performed.
VIDEO COMING

On Good Friday, in the city of Guanajuato,
There is a live re-enactment of Judas hanging himself.
He crawls up a hand made ladder,
Hooks his noose to a makeshift tree,
Attaches a rope and lets go.

Following Judas’ hanging,
The stations of the cross are performed.
Jesus receiving his cross,
The crown of thorns, his velvet cape.
His litter is carried by the brotherhood of penetentes,
Wearing purple burlap, heavy rope disciplinas and hoods.
They carry Jesus around the church 12 times,
One time for each station.
Thirty women in black dresses, veils and bare feet on cobblestones
Carry the heavy litter that holds Jesus’ Mother,
Mary, the Virgin of Sorrows.
As they move the litters to face each other,
She meets Jesus for the last time and words are exchanged.
The women are swaying back and forth, all the parishoners are crying.
Jesus’ face is wiped, his image is held in the cloth for all to see.
The women of Jerusalem walk behind supporting the Magdalena
Who wears purple and can barely keep herself upright.
In the final round, he is brought to the front of the church
For the crucifixion.

The participation and the show of faith is nothing short of impressive.

<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/166426465″>2010 Semana Santa, Guanajuato Mexico</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user43839345″>Suzanne da Rosa</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

A slideshow of photographs of the stations of the cross TO COME

On Easter sunday, in San Miguel,
There’s a little brevity and fun.
Paper mache Judas figures are blown up with fireworks
In front of the police station and to everyone’s delight

Blowing Up Judas from Suzanne da Rosa on Vimeo.

Blowing Up Judas2 from Suzanne da Rosa on Vimeo.

Blowing Up Judas 3 from Suzanne da Rosa on Vimeo.

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Senor de las Columnas Returns to Atotonilco

At about 1 am
John woke me to say
“Fireworks!”
I think the procession is nearby
I’m going…

Normally I am up and running
But this time, I am too tired
And unable to rise for the occasion.
I heard the door slam as he left,
He crossed the arroyo
To Avenida Independencia
Where he witnessed a Mass,
Fireworks,
Dancers,
Drummers
About a thousand local people
Accompanying Senor de las columnas
And other carefully wrapped saints
Back to Atotonilco, and formally ending
Semana Santa
This wonderful video is what he returned home with.

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Easter Sunday and They are Blowing up Judas

On Easter Sunday in the US
There are Easter baskets
Easter Eggs
Ham and potatoes
Deviled Eggs
All preceded by
Weeks of the Easter bunny at the mall
Aisles of candy in all the stores
That will make it into Easter baskets
Then sold the following week at 75% off.

On Easter Sunday in San Miguel
At 11:30 A.M.
Truckloads of paper mache Judas figures
Are lined up in the Jardin

Paper mache Judas figures lined up in the Jardin

There are witches
Devils
Local politicians
Some you can’t figure out 

Judas, not as imagined in the bible, but represented in these figures to be blown up on Easter Sunday

But it doesn’t matter because
They all represent Judas,
Who betrayed Jesus,
And he is strung with fireworks
That swirl him around and explode him
25  times this Easter.

A little slideshow, and videos below of the festivities:

The Videos:

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