Processionals

I planned this trip so that I would be here in Antigua at just this time of year: Lent. This is the biggest festivalof the year for Antigua (and I suppose the whole Christian world, but Antigua isn't screwing around). They have parades (you can't really call them that... "Processionals") every Saturday / Sunday from now until Easter. And really, "parade" is soooo an understatement. Today's processional started at noon and goes until 11:30 tonight. Yes, that's ELEVEN hours+. And next week's runs from 7 am to 11 pm...

Now, lest you think this is just a few high school bands marching through the streets and the local Brownie Troop meandering down the road next to a unicycling clown, it's not THAT kind of parade at all. This is a religious tradition started (I think) in Seville Spain (and they still do it there - even bigger than here).

The Spaniards who settled (er, conquered) Guatemala 500+ years ago brought the tradition with them and it lives on in Antigua (and to a much smaller degree in a few other places in Guatemala as well). Key to the processionals are large floats/statues (I don't know what to call them) signifying Christ, the Virgin Mary, etc...

I've only seen one Processional so far (I'm going to today's later this evening), but it was amazing... Luckily, it doesn't take 12 hours to see it, since it passes by in fairly short time and you're down. Then, it continues on throughout the city. The one yesterday was the kids' Processional. Yup, kids doing all the walking, etc... Now, this may not seem all that strange (kids are always in parades in the US), but you have to remember that they're carrying the big religious floats / kid-sized though they may be (carrying... they don't go on cars, bikes, or other wheeled vehicles... the people - in this case, children - carry them).

So, imagine - if you can - 14 young girls carrying a "float" of the Virgin Mary that likely weighs more than 1000 lbs. Or 14 boys carring a "float" with a representation of Chist on top. No helium here!

Now you say, "What's the point of carrying these massive objects down the street all day?" Honestly, I don't know the exact rational of those who started it all hundreds of years ago, but I think it hs something to do with showing appreciation for the Savior's willingness to carry our burdens or giving of one's self as a symbolic acceptance of all He gave.

At first - I thought it all a bit strange, but yesterday as I watched the kids (and their parents on the sidewalks watching) I started to catch the vision of this community-wide event to commemorate their collective belief and appreciation for their religion, their God, and their Savior.

Now, I realize that once something gets this big, there are likely some people doing it simply because it's "fun" or "memorable" or because there's nothing else to "do" on a Saturday in March... but that doesn't change the fact that it, at its heart, a celebration and a reminder of the gospel and of Christ. And that's a good thing.

Now, the "carpet" comment from the tour guide... "everybody likes to make carpets for Jesus." Along the route of the processional, people make hand-made "carpets" out of plants, colored saw-dust, and other perishable materials. They spend hours making them, and they finish the final touches only moments before the processional passes by. Then, their hours of hard-work are destoryed in mere minute as the carriers and watchers make their way by. So again the question, "What's the point of making such a beautiful composition, just to have it moments-thereafter destoyed?"

And I'm guessing the answers are something to the effect of: Give al you can. Do as much as you can. Spare no effort. Christ is coming this way (even if only symbolically), so make it as beautiful as possible.

Anyhow, I'll probably understand this all a lot better by April 8th (easter), but that's enough for now.