A Mexican Easter Experience

San Miguel de Allende has long been characterized by its sense of religious tradition. During the Holy Week of Easter, the streets of this old town are turned into real rivers of mastranzo, an aromatic herb, chamomile and flowers, representing Christ’s path on the way to the cross and later to his tomb. The many processions are silent somber affairs and are a way of reviving the justice, love, honesty and sanctity of Jesus, who gave his life to save humankind. I respect their adherence to these old traditions and on a personal note, I do like the heavy emphasis Mexicans place on Mother Mary’s role in the life of her son. Refreshing in a religion dominated by male adulation, pomp and circumstance.

On the week leading up to Good Friday, there were elaborate altars set up everywhere in the city to honour the ‘tears of Mary’ including in our villa entrance, where housekeepers Alisa and Alejandro decorated an altar for Bev and I …. both are quite religious sorts, and blissfully unaware of our heathen tendencies ☺️ ….. The long processions were many and varied throughout the weekend … the most bizarre spectacle however, on Easter Sunday, were the lines of puppet ‘Judas’ figures hanging piñata style in the town square and subsequently blown up via internal firecrackers … after watching this weirdly strange ritualistic custom for awhile … I opted to go into the Parroquia for Easter service instead. Very peaceful and moving … I have always enjoyed sitting in churches, despite my pagan ways …. As my waunderlust most often surfaces in the spring, I usually end up in a church in some country or another on Easter Sunday! Go figure 😗 ….. the duality that lives within! …. so often I embrace polar opposites, take the good and rock and roll along.

Alisa and Alejandro proudly standing beside the altar they created for us … fresh camomile flowers, oranges, figurine of Mary, candles and purple and white paper decor