San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-04-11
Holy Week in Monterey-Judas Cru
cified-Celebrated 9 de April
Won ON Shipped


made a note of how they celebrated
the Easter holidays in those days,
but they were not at all cOmpar-
able with the services and scenes of
last week.
In 1873 the ladies were plainly
dressed; not one of them wore
hat. 1t is doubtful if they ever
saw one. But it is not so now.
Young ladies would not think of
going to church or promenade on
the plaza unless they were dressed
in the latest fashion and wore hats
decorated with feathers and
plumes. The change in dress and
the customs of the people is so
marked that it is only those who
saw them.then and see them now
could realize and appreciate the
change.
During the past week, from the
rising of the sun to the going down
of the same, there was a constant
stream of men, women and child
rem going to and coming from
church. Many of the little girls
were dressed in white with large
wings extended from the Shout
derS, and a crown on their heads,
all prepared to meet the Christ
when He arose from the tomb and
fly with Him to join His Father
in Heaven and announce the glad
| tidingS that he had finished the
work that he was sent to perform,
shed his blood for the redemption
of the human race. The whole
scene was solemn and pictures
que.
From 10 a. m. Thursday all the
church bells were muf1led and the
"Mataca," a wooden cOg-wheel, was
substituted until lOa. m, Saturday
morning. At the close of the morn
ing services, the bells were turned
loose, or rather the boys in the
church towers, who had been wait
ing there for hours for the signal
to turn the bells loose and toll
them, were told to "let 'er 60" and
we'll did they do it,fOr the noise
they made was deafening.
JUDAS IN EFFIGY.
While the women and girls We're
going daily to the churches, the
young men and boys were not idle.
They had to provide amusement,
and it was one that draws as large
a crowd as if a circus came to the
city, or a free bull fight was to
come off on the plaza. They made
frame works of light material, COW
cred them with various cOlOred
rags and paper, put on false face
and plug hat, stuck a cigar in
their mouth, mounted them on
poles, covered them with fire
crackers, sky-rOckcts and bombs,
from head to foot. On the next
street adjoining the Cathedral was
another Judas, he was dressed the
same as the others, he had pipe
in his mouth, and was suspended
by the head to a rope that was
stretched from the tOpOf the build
ing across the street.
All the streets and buildings in
that vicinity We're packed with
men, women and children, to see
the fun commence. AS soon as the
clock in the Cathedral struck the
hour of ten, the bells were rung
and the fun commenced. Fire was
set to them and as soon as it reach
ed the body of Judas with the
pipe he drew his sword and
made a gallant fight for life. But
as the firecrackers and bombs eX-
plOded they tore him to pieces and
as they fell to the ground there was
a rush made for them, as the boy
that got the most pieces was to
send them to the smelters to get
the thirty pieces Of silver out of
him and have them cast into little
Judasas for the purpose of sending
them to the Columbian Worlds
Fair at Chicago.
Nearly every bakery in the city
had their Judas hung in front Of
their stores, so did the soldiers in
front of their quarters, and at the
appointed hour they were shot
down. Such was the scene that
was witnessed at the close of the
| Easter festivities OF 1898.
1t is reported that one boy was
killed and two seriously wounded
by the premature explosion of
some of the rockets and bombs.
SCENES ON THE PLAZA.
During the week the Zaragoza
plaza was crowded with men,
women and children.
AS the ladies and children came
out from church they would pro-
minade on the plaza, listen to the
D,uaic iDbo1o tho sweet OdOr of