Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-18
ON THE FIESTA DAY.
The Peruvian Celebrations That Look
Odd to American Eyes.
THE CURES FOR IRREVERENCE.
Professions to the Bedside of the Dying De.
mand Respect.
A WOMAN WHO COMMITTED NO SIN
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srArcH.I


CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPArcH.I
AREoUIPA, PERU, Dec. 10.-We arose
with the lark on the fiesta day of Saint
Joseph, so as to miss none of the strange
ceremonials, having been assured that the
best place to view them was the balcony of
our own rooms in the hotel. Presently a
deafening sound of church bells, every bell
in the city being beaten, might and main,
by boys up in the belfries, accompanied by
terrific fzzing of fireworks, announced
that something was about to happen.
Down the narrow street came the process
sion; first brass band playing lively airs.
then an enormous crowd of priests, monks
and nuns, men, women and children, COM
pletely filling the thoroughfare as far as the
eye could see, and in the midst of all
number of life-size wooden figures, each
borne upon platform to which long poles
were lashed, upheld on the shoulders of
bare-headed Indians. Some of the images
were carried with comparative ease, while
others were so burdensome that the bearers
were frequently compelled to lower them
ignoDiniously to the ground, thus halting
the whole multitude.
An Odd Procession.
At the head, of course, came San Jose, in
whose honor was the celebration, in yell
low brocaded gown to match his yellow
curls, looking as meek and gullible as his
character is generally portrayed. Then
came tall and stately virgin, arrayed in
blue satin garnished with pearls and veiled
like bride, surrounded by bilIowy puffs of
pale-blue tulle, spangled to represent the
| starry heavens. Among number of other
saints and saintesses was small female
figure, to US unaccouutabie, but which re-
ceived especial respect and attention. It
was poised in the attitude of dancing,
dressed in very short, iull skirt of white
tissue like that of ballet girl, with
golden crown upon the long curls of real
hair, pair of scales in one hand and
short, curved sword held aloft in the other.
Each figure was preceded by number of
little girls strewiDg paper flowers in its path
| from silver baskets, while, crowding the
pavement on both sides, marched multi
tude of nuns, all with black mantas envelop-
ing their bowed heads so that little of their
faces was visible. Some of them wore blue
ribbons over their shoulders, meeting on the
breast where wooden cross was suspended;
| others had crimson ribbons arranged in the
same way, with brass crucifxes. Some had
leather strap dangling atthe rIght-hand side.
One group Was composed of elderly women,
dressed precisely like the begging friars of
San Francisco. The rest of the procession
was fairly up to the samples have given.
Baptized With Flowers.
Flags were flying from every housetop.
On overlooking balconies and the fiat roofs
of the houses stool men and women with
long poles in their hands. To the end of
each pole was tied a small basket. the latter
edged with a wreath of tissue howere and
filled with dried rose leaves, bits of tinsel
and bright colored paper cut into bits and
as the figure passed beneath, the poles were
thrust out and the contents of the baskets
emptied on their heads.
At frequent intervals along the route
ropes had been stretched across the street,
| from house top to house top, dozen ropes
in group. each closely hung with tiny
| flags of tissue paper in brilliant colors. The
| fallen images had hard time OF it to get
| unde- these ropes. The meek San Jose
| looked in Imminent danger of being be-
| headed, and was more than once caught fast
| by the chin; while the stately Virgin had
| her crown knocked of, which was quickly
rescued from the dust by ragged Indian,
who reverently knelt, kissed it, crossed him.
self, and then climbed like cat with his
dirty bare feet. up over the pale blue satin
train and spanglcd billows, to replace it.
! Thus. with all "pomp and circumstance, "
the sacred effigies were carried from their
home in the church of San Domingo to the
cathedral, where they were get down among
| the effgies of the latter sanctuary while mass
was said; and then they were solemnly toted
back again, reminding one irresistibly of
the way children take their dolls and play
"go-a-visiting."
To the Beds of the Dying.
Another procession. dependent upon no
fiesta day, is often seen in the streets of all
| Peruvian cities, viz, the holy Host being
carried to the bedside of some dying person.
First comes boy ringing a hand-bell as for
| an auction. Then comes an acolyte in scar
let and lace, swinging a smoking censer,
closely followed by other acolytes. each car
ryIng some sacred emblem or device, whose
use or specification Is known to all good
Catholics. Then comes the priest, with the
holy ark containing the sacrament, followed
by more priests, more acolytes and burning
incense, the rear being brought up by a
squad of soldiers with drawn bayonets.
| Over the holy ark and the head Of the offici-
atiug priest, is held a gorgeous canopy OF
cloth of gold.
| When the first tinkling of the bell is
heard, men, women and children fall on
| their knees, in the streets, in the shops, on
| their balconies-no matter for rain or mud
or whatever may betide, kneel you must,
wherever you are, and as if you meant it,
zoo, unless YOU do as scme of the heretical
"Gringos" Ga derislve epithet applied to
Auglo-Saxons), turn a corner, run down a
side street, or dodge out OF sight at the first
| tinkling of tine bell. To remain standing
while the host is carried by would certainly
entail serious consequences, for man or
woman. citizen or stranger, would probably
be knocked down instanter or marched of
to Jail, if not actually shot or stabbed by
some fanatic.
| Religious Through Force.
| have known a few such cases myself.
from the cobbier who was killed in the City
| of Mexico because he knelt on his bench in
stead of on the foor-Roman Catholic
though he was-to an American tourist
right here in Arequira not many days ago,
| who stood open-mourhed, wondering what
the queer procession meant with tinkling
bell and band OF music, when the priest,
with scowl on his face, merely glanced al
the soldiers behind him, and two Of them ar.
rested the stranger and marched him off to
Jail Arrived there, an officer demanded to
know why in blankety blank he didn'i
kneel when he ought tol In the few words
| OF broken Spanish which the gentleman
could command, he finally succeeded in
| making it understood that he had meant nc