Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-03-10
Christmas I'm Mexico.


A writer from Mexico SAID our Christ
mas festivities or "Posadas' ended with
Christmas eve. Then all devout Mexicans
went to the midnight mass, and the 26th,
which foreigners regard as the day to be
commemorated, was celebrated by the diff
ferent foreign tribes in Mexico according
to the customs of their respective coun-
tries. The Posadas were unusually ami
mated this year. AS those who have
never visited Mexico may not comprehend
the word, allow me to give short descEip-
ton of these semi-relgious festivals. The
idea is to represent the nine days journey
of the Virgin Mary and st. Joseph, when,
by order of Caesar, they went TO Jerusalem
to be taxed and could not find lodgings on
the route. but were forced TO seek shelter
IN stable In Bethlehem. These Posadas
are held for niue nights. usually In the
house of the eldest representative of
family. A landscape, representing a
lonely road through hlly country, made
Of mimic rocks, trees, moss and sand, ls
arranged ON a litter, wax figures of the
Virgin ON a mule, st. Joseph, staff I'm hand,
walking beside her, an angel guiding them,
PldIN0 OAi ANs anu 40 ODAA4O ny
four young children. In rich families
those who carry the litter are dressed as
angels, have wings of gauze, white satin
dresses and slippers, and are attended by
maids of honor carrying large wax candles
in silver candlesticks. Next follow the
musicians. and then como the elders of the
family, the guests, ch ldren and servants
from the head-nurse down TO the scullion
and stable-boy, each bearing a lighted
taper and ali chanting the "Litany TO the
Virgin Mother" the ''Ora pro nobis" is
sung by the musicians and male ''peIe-
grinos" (pilgrims.) This procession makes
the tour of the house (passing through
ante-rooms, corridors, etc. then certain
number accompanied by half of the nlusi-
cians) represent family dwelling in Beth
lehem, and entering a room lock the door,
and one man who personates ST. Joseph
knocks, asking for admission Che sings his
part and is accompanied by musiclans),
stating ''The night is dark and cold, the
wind blows fiercely and my wife is ex-
hausted by long days journey" The
chorus within harshly refuse the pilgrims
admission. st. Joseph pleads pathetically
but vainly. Finally he exclaims: "Alas
Mary, the mother of the Messiah, has not
where to lay her head. AT the mention
of her name the doors fly open, the pill
grims are welcomed with songs and many
demonstrations of respect, rockets are
fired, and the image of ''the illustrlous
one" is removed from the litter and placed
under a canopy. There ia usually in this
room ''nacimiento," or altar, on which
in placed a representation of the birth of
Christ in the stable of Bethlehem some
times other wax and pasteboard figures OF
''the shepherds who watched their fiocks
by ni3ht," the Wise Men of the East, etc,
are beautifully arranged with green boughs
and colored tapers. After the guests and
children have duly admired these scenes
connected with the advent. allh1sten down
to the patio Courtyard, where a large
ola IAN earthenware jar or vase covered
with tiusel, various colored papers or flow
ers and ribbons) is suspended from rope
and filled with candies; large circle is
formed around the ola, the children are
by turns blindfolded, led a short distance
from the spot, then stick is given each.
One after the other attacks the ola. and
heroine of the evening, but the scattered
sweets are left for the servants. Imme-
diateIy after this the family and visitors
retire to the dining room, where bcnbons,
toys and little souvenirs Of the evening are
distributed. AS crowning finale there is
dancing and music ia the parlOr, while the
servants amuse themselves in the court
yard performing the Jarobe, the jota Ara
gouesa or some Indian dances. The poor
est family in Mexico manages TO have
Posadas. Recently your correspondent,
accompanied by three friends, ascended to
the roof of building and, like Asmod4us,
looked down thence into the patio of an
adjoining house, when the porter and por-
teresses were having their Posada. The
majority of their guests were walters and
musicians of the lower classes, but they
sang the Litany to the Virgin with thrill !
ing effect. Our party was, of course In-
Wis BILE, and, looking upon these Mevlcans
from the height upon which we stood, the
starry heavens above us, the earnestness
of the peregrinos, or pllgr ms, in their
chant, mingling with recollections of home,
50 moved me that only the presence of a
cynical Spaniard and light-headed Ameri-
can girl prevented me from kneeling TO
thank the Savior for the atonement he
made for us. Strangers here term these
Posatas ''puerile," ''half-barbarous," etc.
Even the most rigid Puritans or "Free-
IT, mixers" often are moved by the music
and the general effect.