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Semana Santa... It's that time again By Shana Hugh Those visiting Mazatlán
during the first week of April will quickly notice that they have chosen
the busiest time of the year to be here. Exceeding the hordes of people
in Mazatlán for Christmastime, for Carnaval, and yes, even for the crowded
college parties, are the thousands who arrive during the Easter long-weekend
for Semana Santa, or Holy Week -- an important religious celebration for
the Catholic faith. Semana Santa celebrates the last days and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. The religious observance begins on Holy Thursday -- which
falls on the first of April this year -- and lasts through Easter Sunday.
The festivities include a re-enactment of the last days of Christ, a silent
procession and a youths' forum. To discover what the historical religious
significance of the event is, a visit to Matatán or Malpica is in order.
Both these towns are two of the nearest locations that provide a re-enactment
of the crucifixion of Christ. This special event takes place on Holy Thursday.
Matatán, a small community an hour outside of Rosario, is approximately
a two and a half hour drive from Mazatlán. But don't let this "small town"
image fool you; the celebration, complete with costumes and crowd participation,
is of a grand scale. Malpica, the last destination before the bus stops
in Concordia, is equally impressive. A word of caution, however, as it is
not uncommon for the actors to get so involved in their re-enactment that
they actually get a bit rough with the spectators. For example, someone
playing the part of a Jewish "unbeliever" (who thought that Christ's claims
to be "King of the Jews" was blasphemous) may push audience members around,
incorporating them in the role-playing. Although the re-enactment only portrays
the Crucifixion, Semana Santa pays tribute to all that occured during the
span of four days. According to the Bible, Holy Thursday, or Jueves Santo
as it is called in Spanish, was the beginning of Passover, an annual Jewish
holiday when no bread made with yeast is eaten. This was the day that Jesus
was apprehended by the Jewish leaders following the Last Supper (Jesus'
final meal with his twelve disciples). One of the disciples left the supper
to betray Jesus, giving his whereabouts away to the Jewish officials who
envied Jesus' popularity and wanted him incarcerated for threatening their
religious power. |
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The next day, known as Good Friday or Viernes Santo, was the day of Jesus'
trial and crucifixion. Although the Roman governor, Pilate, found Jesus
innocent and pushed for his release, the Jewish leaders and their followers
had Jesus condemned to death. And so Jesus died on the cross later that
day. On Saturday, Sabado Santo, at midnight (therefore, technically Sunday)
Jesus' tomb was discovered open, and his body: missing. As a result, Easter
Sunday is known as the Day of Resurrection, or Domingo de Resurrección.
The story states that on this day, before ascending to Heaven, Jesus appeared
before his eleven disciples and gave them directions to spread the word
of God. Since this is the most important religious time of the year for
Catholics, many gather in Mazatlán to celebrate the rebirth of the Messiah.
Although this is a school holiday, many of the young people who come to
Mazatlán do not spend their vacation on the beach. The baseball stadium
(estadio Teodoro Mariscal) is where several thousand young people may be
located during Semana Santa. This event is named Pajuma '99. It is a gathering
of young adults, aged 13 to 20, who spend Thursday to Sunday at the stadium.
At noon on Holy Thursday, the whole stadium full of youths walk to the Cathedral
downtown. This pilgrimmage is a silent one, and is called Marcha del Silencio.
The rest of the time is spent at the stadium, listening to various speakers,
having discussions, singing and celebrating life. Although there is a small
fee (approximately 15 pesos) the participants receive materials, such as
pens and paper. Not only are these materials used to record appointments
at churches, but also to record the names and numbers of the new friends
they make during their intimate four days. If you are interested in attending
the event (which is all in Spanish), register at the Cathedral downtown
or at the church Sagrado Corazon in Col. Independencia, in front of the
Familiares housing complex (los multi Familiares). The time at the stadium
actually serves as a forum, giving the audience a chance to discuss issues
relevant to their lives. It provides an opportunity for young adults to
discuss "life" with their peers, encouraging individual thought as opposed
to simply listening to their parents. On the final day there is a huge mass,
where parents are invited to join their children. Former participants have
described their time at the stadium as a "life changing experience." Something
to think about as you lie among sunburned bodies at the beach. |
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