San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-06-19
STRANGE CEREMONIES.
QUEER FORMS OF WORSHIP OBJ
SERVED IN ARIZONA.

Christianity and Barbarism Strangel y
Practices of the Descendants of Band
of Spanish Adventures.
Tradition says that in 1871 few jesuit
padres and Spanish adventures pusluI
their way northward through Mexico rs
far as the Santa Rita mountains, which
are located In what Is now known as
southern Arizona. On the western slope
Of this great range, just beneath the
shadow of Old Badly, a majestic peak
which rises to the height of 10000 feet,
the settlement Of Tumacacori was formed,
and the mission of San Jose erected.
The present inhabitants of the Santa
Ritas are the descendants of the Spanish
adventurers, with strong intermixture
of Indian blood, and the principal settle.
ment in the mountains is at Greaterville.
They are ignorant and superstitious, and
while they are nominally Catholics, their
ideas are so crude, and they have forgot.
ten or changed so much of the teachings
CT the old padres that they can hardly be
considered Christian people. There is
no church in the mountains, and priest
has not been among the people for more
than hundred years, yet they keep track
Of many of the holy days and church
feasts, which they observe very devoutly,
N spite of the fact that most of the cere.
monies are conducted after their own
strange fashion.
Every year Semana Santa (Holy Week.
is observed at Greaterville in the most fan.
tastic manner, and people gather there
from all parts Of the mountains. A large
adobe hut is put in order and prepared for
the occasion. Every devout person brings
to the improvised chapel such holy pic
lures, orucifxes, wax candles and arti
fetal flowers as they may possess. and
with these the room Is ornamented. An
altar is made of empty boxes piled in the
shape of pyramid and covered with plain
cotton cloth. The images and candles
are ranged around this altar, and a large
crucitix or picture of the Holy Saviour
surmounts the whole. No work Is done
during Holy Week, and the people give
themselves up entirely to their devotions,
which are kept up without ceasing both
day and night.
AS there are no priests to officiate, there
can be no regular service in the chapel
and the only order observed seems to be
that tie older people lead in praying or
chanting. and the younger ones follow
suit. The prayers are short and very far
between, so the principal service is the
almost incessant chant. Men. women
and children sing in unison, accompanied
by a rude band consisting of a voilon,
accordion and guitar The people have
good voices. and the chanting is in low
and melodious tone A strangely weird
and striking effect is produced as the sad,
sweet music from the little chapel floats
up the lonely gulch and is softly echoed
among the rugged cliffs.
Outside Of the, chapel scene Is con
stantly being enacted which differs widely
from the devotions within Here are
gathered a number Of young men and
boys, clad in fantastic garments and wear
ing hideous masks. The masks are gen
orally made from sheepskins, with the
wool on the outside The holes for the
mouth, nose and eyes are burned with hot
----=s. which gives them $780,