Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-03-20
CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO.


y
Daily During tso Holidays.
| Bright lanterns suspended Ina the airUra.
claim the glad tidings Of the holidays. ana
every Mexican iacal, no matter how hum
/ bic it may appear, puts out its beacon to
/ light the steps of the Saviour should he
perchance appear. The story Of the birth of
the Redeemer is annually portrayed in all
Mexican towns and in a symbolic Ian
guage which the most ignorant can readi-
ly understand.
The performance consists of fifteen play
ers, consisting of Joseph and Mary and the
infant Jesus, two archangcls, Lucifer and
three of his minions and a number of
shepherds. The costumes are adapted to
the Mexican conception of the characters,
and are novel in the extreme All of the
costumes are gotten up tastefully, and
while a strict COnfOrmance with the re
quirements of the First century might rob
Joseph Of his sombrero, still it is doubtful
if the lesson which it is desired to instil
in the minds of the people would be as eff
fective if all the minor details Of the early
Jewish fashions We're complied with.
The scene of the play opens near Bethle-
hem, where the shepherds are tending their
tlocks, by host of angels appearing and
telling them of the birth of the Saviour
and inviting them to follow to where he
lay. They follow the star which leads them
to the stable, in the manager of which the
infant rests in the arms Of Mary and
Joseph. While rejoicing, Lucifer, armed
with two swords, appears and attempts to
destroy the child Jesus, but is repulsed bv
two angels, who keep watch over him. Not
to be outdone, Lucifer summons three
archdemons, who fight with the angels for
the course Of half an hour, resulting in the
final overthrow of the evil one and his ennis
saries and the placing of the feet of the
angels upon their necks.
Then the pastores break out into reioic-
ing, and while "A portion of them sing the
praises Of the Redeemer who is born unto
them, Others chant in a harmonious strain
the goodness and mercy of God. This
feature, accompanied by music on the harp
and violin, is kept up until late hour of |
the night, to be repeated each succeeding |
night until the holidays are over.
One must understand the Mexican peo-
pie and their devoutness and intense reIi.
gious feeling to fully appreciate how
strongly the presentation of the pastores
Affects their minds. Their very souls seem
poured out in their devotions, and TO their
SIMPLE minds heaven seems to be very near.
Back in 1882 the story Of the crucifxion
was given, but repetition of the play was
never again attempted.
A statue to represent the Saviour was
procured and the trial, conviction and final
crucihnon were wildly presented. Then
the three days in which he lay in the tomb
were spent in fasting and prayer so strict
that every kind of business was SUSPENDED.
The church where the body Law was
crowded day and night with eager suppli-
ants for divine favors. Old men and women
would bow down for hours beside the cot
fin in which the statue of Jesus Law and
lmplore the granting of some specific OBJ
lect or request. During these three DAVIS
If child should speak a cross or evil word
or do an unlind act it would be reminded
that Jesus was the recipient of the wrong
If stone was thrown or any object touched
the children were told that Jesus
was the sufferer
Finally the nearing of the resurrection
came and the church, which before was
draped in black, suddenly, as if by magic
appeared gayly bedecked with flowers and
5mblems Of rejoicing. The people who for
ihree days had scarcely eaten or slept. and
whose entire time had been spent in appar-
mt real grief and sorrow, with the first
ldlngs of the resurrection threw off their
ailments of sorrow and at once assumed an
expression Of rejoicing and with one voice
gave forth in the beautiful Mexican tongue
he gladstone tidings that Christ was
News.