I had a great time observing the Easter festivities in Xela this morning. While it was unusual to spend Easter abroad for the first time and to miss out on the services I am used to at home and at college, I felt a strong sense of community with the hundreds of people who turned out to watch the processions.
The main parade for Easter Sunday departed after Mass at the Iglesia San Nicolás Jesús de la Resurrección, pictured here. (The trees in this picture are in the Parque Benito Juárez, a really nice park across the street from the church.)
The first float showed Jesus resurrected and standing in front of the empty tomb. The plaque at the front includes the words of the angels who met Mary Magdalene and the other women at the tomb: "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:5-6).
This procession, as with the Good Friday and Holy Saturday processions, moved very, very slowly. The pace was about 25-30 minutes per city block, and the length of the parade route meant that the procession took 4-5 hours in total. I imagine the float bearers will have shoulder bruises for several days!
The second float showed the Coronation of Mary as the Queen of Heaven. While the first float was carried by men in suits, this float was carried by women in traditional Mayan dress.
A marching band came after the two large floats.
Later in the day, I saw a smaller parade, closer to the center of the city. It began with two floats of angels declaring the resurrection, holdings signs saying "Alleluia!" and "He Has Risen!"
The floats were followed by members of various religious Catholic organizations in the town, each carrying the banner for their specific group.
Finally, starting at 4 pm, there was an outdoor service at the Iglesia El Calvario. The priest stood on the east (front) porch, and the hymns were played on an impressively loud sound system.
Near the Iglesia El Calvario, I saw lots of cars decorated for the occasion. Here are two of the best I saw. First, a truck with an "Alleluia!" sign.
Next, a pickup with an empty tomb and drawings of lambs.
The main parade for Easter Sunday departed after Mass at the Iglesia San Nicolás Jesús de la Resurrección, pictured here. (The trees in this picture are in the Parque Benito Juárez, a really nice park across the street from the church.)
The street in front of the church was decorated with two really beautiful, intricate designs made from seeds of many different colors. The designs were then destroyed when the people carrying the floats walked over them. The creation and then destruction of such intricate patterns reminded me of Buddhist sand mandalas.
Here's the second, longer design.
When the priest came out from the church to start the parade, he began by blessing many children and some adults. He started out blessing them one-by-one with Holy Water, but when lots of people started coming to him, he used an aspergillum (shown below).
Soon after, when the floats were carried out of the church, he blessed the floats themselves and then all of the men and women carrying them by sprinkling them with Holy Water using the aspergillum.
The first float showed Jesus resurrected and standing in front of the empty tomb. The plaque at the front includes the words of the angels who met Mary Magdalene and the other women at the tomb: "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:5-6).
This procession, as with the Good Friday and Holy Saturday processions, moved very, very slowly. The pace was about 25-30 minutes per city block, and the length of the parade route meant that the procession took 4-5 hours in total. I imagine the float bearers will have shoulder bruises for several days!
The second float showed the Coronation of Mary as the Queen of Heaven. While the first float was carried by men in suits, this float was carried by women in traditional Mayan dress.
A marching band came after the two large floats.
Later in the day, I saw a smaller parade, closer to the center of the city. It began with two floats of angels declaring the resurrection, holdings signs saying "Alleluia!" and "He Has Risen!"
The floats were followed by members of various religious Catholic organizations in the town, each carrying the banner for their specific group.
Finally, starting at 4 pm, there was an outdoor service at the Iglesia El Calvario. The priest stood on the east (front) porch, and the hymns were played on an impressively loud sound system.
Near the Iglesia El Calvario, I saw lots of cars decorated for the occasion. Here are two of the best I saw. First, a truck with an "Alleluia!" sign.
Next, a pickup with an empty tomb and drawings of lambs.
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