Showing posts with label
feast of the immaculate conception.
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Showing posts with label
feast of the immaculate conception.
Show all posts
really, it's a thing here every december 7. it started out as a way to prepare for december 8 which is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. during the colonial period the people would light lanterns on the night of the 7th to 'show the way' for Mary. however, those people who could not afford a lantern would burn trash in front of their house. as the telling goes, this escalated to dangerous proportions and the compromise of a local burning of the devil was agreed upon.
when i heard the devil had been erectred i passed by wanting to get some photos. in Antigua, there are two gas stations. they are on opposite sides of the same street. in the middle of that street is a small trianglular area and that is where this 10 foot devil is burned. really.
then a day later i heard the tragic news that vandals had pushed over the devil and broken it apart.
but, not to fear, the devil would be burned and so he was repaired and returned to the pedestal between the two gas stations with a few bandaged limbs but still a very good likeness to a devil.
finally, the day arrived and out comes the cans of gasoline to douse the devil. there are proclomations made, random firecrackers and torches readied. at the precise time of 6PM the devil goes up in flames.
i can barely wait to see what happens next week.
it seems there's a procession here every week for some feast or festival or religious ceremony. last Sunday as i was passing through the central plaza i saw the preparation for a procession from the main cathedral so i waited around to see what was coming. it was a big one for the Holy Day of the Immaculate Conception which isn't actually until Friday.
i don't know why the procession would be on Sunday if the holy day is on Friday but i'm going to take a guess. there are so many churches in this 1KM square town that they have to share the holiest of the statues and so this statue of the immaculate conception gets paraded to a different church each day.
it's difficult to capture the moment with just a few photos. there were bombas [mega firecrackers] and music and candles and a lot of people wearing medals. think mardi gras if you've ever been there. it's a huge honor to be one of the people carrying the statutes and in some cases they charge money.
ps if you don't know what the immaculate conception is you need to google it or ask a catholic.
but, not to fear, the devil would be burned and so he was repaired and returned to the pedestal between the two gas stations with a few bandaged limbs but still a very good likeness to a devil. 
