Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-12-27
Dramatic Religious Rites Mingled with
Stately Merry-Making.

If. A. b. in Philadelphia Press.
The holiday season in Mexico shows
as strong contraSt with the celebration
in our country as Providence presents it
in climate and peop.e 1t has religious
traits that are attractive, aud many of
them dramatic. In fact. every phase of
lie in that Catholic country is singularly
tinged with the forms Of religion. Dur
ing Christmas tide they are shown in
their best lights. Like all commu
mites that worship then patron saints,
their holidays begin EARL, aad asst much
longer than ours. The C, LIBERATION of the
birth of Christ begins the e VITA the pill
grimage of losepn and Mary from Na1a-
reth 10 bethlehem, wbel g the child was
born. For nine days before the natal day
everything is given up te the first act of
this crude ! a sion play. The lower
classes spend most of thsir time in wor
hip at home and in the churches But
those who are Weather take upon them
S, ives the duty of celebrating every stage
Of the pilgrimage of nearly 1900 years
ago. Th'-se moving in The same circle Of
s,ciety gather in groups each evening and
go as surprise arty 20 tie house of one
of their circles They sing and rap Wig
Orously at the door, when those within
ask:
W no seeks admlttanCef
"The lirgin Mary and St Joseph ask
lodg ngs in your house.
Inc doors are tnrown open, and the
visitors are welcomed and conducted to
the nacimiento little altar erected in
the private residences of the better classes,
representing the birth of christ. Here
each one repeats a rayer with the rosar,.
These simple religious services over. all
are invited to the par.or, where refresh
menis are served and the host MAKES pro
ciamatlon that he is. honored b. the pre-
sence of Mary and Joseph, and invites
them all to make merry. Music and
dancing succeed eating and drinking. an.
there is prolonged merry making
Christmas I've ushers in new scenr
the most dramatic and Deautful of al tn
holiday season. The richer people VIII
have represented the long pilgrimage gs
way to the poorer classes. who now TAX
up the celebration by giving the as
toreia, dramatic representation of ii
birth of hrist. The largest r, ON til
can be procured in the village is fitted
Tor the representation. and the humbr
eople, who have few wants and little il
supply them with, come in to represen
the characters in the drama
The shepherds in The field observing Il
c''ti VI iSCthiCuCiI, art ClGN6Fly re II
sented. as is Their journey under its guit.
ance. The birth in the manager. the his
toric COW. the angels and St Michael are
all shown in the mple, picture lue. bui
impressive play. Tines ,ectators who wit
hess and app.aud tie humble ayers, who
are thus properly representing these who
welcomed The birth OF our savior. are
sometimes those who made the emble.
matte visits of the plevi aus nine DAYS. but.
generally the play is for the DO rer classes
his charming Introduction to Ihrist
mas Day ends little before
midnight, when those who have
Witnessed it are expected to enter
tain the performers. Then all classes
10 midnight mass. where the create
crowd of all the year. except Holy Vie
are seel. The TO I'd furnished after tn,
representations consists Usually of hu
nuel s. wheat-fiour cake co ,ked niue
like our Goughnu S and iesquino, a kin
OF beer or ferme tied drink. of which th,
poorer Classes partake freely during hol
day time
hristmas Day is celebrated in oui,
way. Nothing of the boisterous iovial
4 I American day is apparent. il
from friend to friend are rarely int
changed The servants often get the
aguinald }. a Christmas present, but even
tnis custom is not general Hearty an
happy as is the Mexican's hristmls. it
en- Dyed more as a religious festival thad
us feast