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| The guests arrived |
One of the most inspiring moments of this Holiday Season happened high atop the hills overlooking the Panchoy Valley near the village of San Mateo Milpas Altas this week. Juan Carlos and I were present for a spectacular pre-Christmas event.
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| The prayers were offered here |
Our dear pals Tom, Paul and Tod hosted a breathtakingly beautiful and deeply spiritual event, una posadita (grande), and the whole countryside came. Up the steep mountain road hundreds and hundreds trudged from San Mateo Milpas Altas and surrounding aldeas and tiny barrio communities tucked into the landscape. Over one thousand pilgrims strong followed the ¨traje¨ clad statues of Saint Mary and Saint Joseph that were hand carried on a decorated platform. Mary and Joseph were lit brite in the darkness of night by battery powered generators being pulled along to fuel spotlights...up the hill the candle carring night visitors came accompanied by a special brass band from San Antonio Aguas Calientes...a spectacle of great humility and anticipation of the great event to come, heavily flavored with soothing chants and songs, prayers filled with passion and renewed hope for all humanity.
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| Preparing for la ¨posadita¨ Orlando and Juan Carlos |
And then there was the generous and very appreciated hospitality: Thousands of tamales, gallons of hot chocolate and hundreds of bags of dulces and galletas (for the children) all orchestrated and produced by Gerardo Santos and the extended Santos Perez families of Santiago Zamora and San Antonio Aguas Calientes--delicious.
· Thanks to Tom, Paul and Tod, Hosts
· Thanks to Gerardo, Orlando and Juan Carlos
· Thanks to Photos by Tomas, transfered by Juan Carlos
· Thanks to don Luis and the San Antonio Aguas Calientes band
· Thanks to The village layreaders and prayer leaders of San Mateo
· Thanks to The Families Santos Perez
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6 comments:
Len, the celebration looks lovely and inspiring.
A Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and Juan Carlos.
Mimi, it was a gorgeous experience...there we were and the loving faces flowed in and flowed in and flowed in--the children were all scrubbed up and adorable and there really was a great huge white star hanging directly over us--a touch of Maya star gazing (best done amongst the Maya)?
and the BAND PLAYED ON AND ON! The women preparing/serving were from San Antonio Agua Calientes and Santiago Zamora and were in Traje... the evening was magic, I´ll never forget it (and have been invited for next year--yippee!).
Did I mention the FIRE WORKS? BREATHTAKING/AWEINSPIRING! Just like Disneyland except on the REALLAND of the MAYA!
Why Leonardo, it sounds as if you had a wonderful time. ;-)
"Where 2 or more are gathered in my name, there am I also"
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