Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-14
SANITY YyCATAN.
THE FIESTA OF SANro CRISTO
DEL AMOR.
Selecting an Indian to be Patron
to the Savior-The Women of
Spanish America.
Especial Correspondence of the REcoRD-Us1os. ]

Especial Correspondence of the REcoRD-U UNION |
TIcUL, 1ucatan, July 3, 1888.
OF all the strange festas in this queer
country, that Just concluded-of Santo
Cristo del Amor-seems most unaccount-
able. 1t is 4 nine-days' observance, begin
ming with the celebration of Corpus Alma,
and ending with the ceremony of choosing
Il human patron for the favorite saint. In
a land where "patron saints" are as thick
as flies in midsummer, this idea of revers-
ing the usual order seemed so uncommon
that we determined to remain in Ticul till
the conclusion of the performance.
Although the religion of the Yucatecans
is nominally Roman Catholic, it must be
remembered that the church government of
these interior villages isgu!ded by thenative
characteristics and neutrality-suspicious. of
the Indians. This was 5eg7ln by the early
priests, as a matter Of necessity, to satisfy
a conquered nation, fresh from the worship
of their idols. When COrtez and his SOL
diers overthrow the gods Of their fathers,
and commanded them, on pain of death, to
worship new ones, it was in most cases but
the substitution of one set OF idols for
another: for though converted" as the
conquerors boosted, at the rate of thou
sands per dieE:, it is not TO be expected
that their darkened intellects could thus
quickly grasp the ideas of Christianity.
Religion in its true sense can never be a
sudden acquisition, and with these denselv
ignorant Indians its slow growth depended
upon their spiritual teachers, through the
patient labor of years. Born to the forms
and ceremonies Of idol-worship, they could
not comprehend abstract theories, unless
presented in some visible form; therefore
mummeries which attracted them were
allowed, many of which are still preserved
IN modified form, making some Of the
ceremonies of the Romish Church in Yu-
catan different from those practiced any
where else.
Besides the lesser saints, who are patrons
or favorites Of Individuals number of
principal saints are annually selected as
special objects Of veneration. These are
usually the Patron and Patroness of the
village (in Ticul, San Mateo and Santa
| Barbara), NueStra Sonora de la Conception.
Our Lady de los RosarioS, FL Senior del
| TRANSPORTATION, our Lord del Misericordia.
Santa Lucia, who presides over marriages:
San Antonio, the patron Of souls, etc, etc.
Each of these saints, while supposed to
act as patron in general, is also placed
| under the especial care of IN earthly
keeper, as patron in particular
The process OF putting a saint under
human patronage is peculiar. The priests
determine which saints shall be thus pa
troulzed, by observing which ones, among
the numerous images scattered around the
walls of church appear to be the most
poprlar-that is, whose shrines contain
the greatest number of yotive offerings, and
before whom the Indians are most fire.
quently found keeling.
When 4 saint has been selected, the
Padre calls upon twelve Indians to serve
and take care of him. These are known as
may0leS, and the Office is looked upon as
a reward for good behavior Then the
may0tes elect a chief-not from their own
number-who is the Patron and to
the thirteen is intrusted the exclusive
guardianship of the image and all pertain
ing to it during the entire year. Attired
in his robes of Office the priest administers
a solemn oath to these sanity guardians,
proud and happy Indians are those thus
dignifed, bound to travel their level best
in the thorny path Of virtue. 1t happened
in Ticul, this year, that one of those saints
to whom a patron was assigned was FL
Santo Cr'sto del Amor-an image of the
Savior, said to especially represent the di-
vine love in laying down his life for man.
By what ratiocination Christ is classed
among the saints, | am as much at loss to
understand as the idea that he requires an
earthly patron.
The opening of the fiesta was announced
at sunrise, by the loud ringing of bells
and the shooting off of rockets from the
top Of the church. Throughout all His
pano-America the natives have a passion
for fireworks, and do not seem to consider
daylight any disadvantage toa pyrotechnic
display Give 1ucatecan youngster pen
ny, and instead of buying candy with it, as
northern child would do, it toddes of at
once to invest in string Of crackers; and
ii is 4 matter Of common occurrence to meet
professions in the full glare of MONDAY,
| firing of rockets and torpedos with great
est gusto.
The first thing in order was to bring the
saint from the house Of its last years
keeper and to set it up in church. This
WIS done by miscellaneous procession of
men, women and children, headed by the
priest and the retiring patron and mdyoles.
Then high mass was said after which all
repaired to the bale dc diG daylight BALI,
and danced till noon. The ballroom was
a vast arbor, 100 feet long by 60 wide,
erected in the plaza for the purpose, OF
wild canes stuck upright in the ground,
matched with palm leaves to protect it
from the sun.
At , p. NJ. the church ceremonies re-
commenced. The shrine of Santo Cristo
del Amor had been freshly adorned with
flowers and votive offerings and before it
stood the priest in his choicest robes.
swinging a salve, while an attendant
perfumed it with insense, and all
the dancers knet before it in their ball
dresses, each with a lighted candle. This
over, the new chief patron was sworn to
watch the temporal interests of the saint,
to take care of all the candles and other
Offering presented to him, and to see that
his fiesta was properly observed the may
oles bring sworn to obey the orders of the
patron in all things touching this sacred
trust. Then n procession was formed in
the body of the church, headed by boy
carrying tall golden crucifx Then
came the sacred image, on rude platform,
borne by two Indians. 1t was about two
f. ct high, representing the Savior nailed
to the cross, aud was set in a sort of shrine
or rough wooden box, canopied with
scarlet, a small mirror set upon each side
of the figure. Next walked the Padre
and the new patron, side by side, followed
by the twelve mdpoLes, or apostles. and
numerous body OF herma'tos dc Ia carload,
brothers of charity. Then came all the
white people of the village and great
number of Indians, the rear being brought
up by several boys, carrying two long
heavy boxes.
At first we supposed the latter to be cof-
| fins, containing some sacred relics, but
learned that one held the wax, ropes for
fireworks and other properties that had
been given as votive offerings to the saint,
and the other, now empty, had once been
used for similar purpose, and ever since
been cherished as holy heirloom by the
succeeding patrons. Everybody carried
lighted candle, all were dressed in white,
and as they moved down the great steps of
the church and through the quiet streets
F., of the village chanting Te De,Im Iauda-