The Irish standard., 1895-04-27
BY RED men.
cruds But Reyarcntial Presentation Of
tina Passion. Play by catk'
& olio lndlans. 8 II
IuDAs DAY IN A nE1leo CITY.
Holy Saturday in the City OF the Axtees
Mas Peculiar and Unique
s-s.aa -, Celebration. =: =

The Tyro1ean peasants who make OBJ
eramnergau famous the world over by
the periodical presentation Of the Passion
Play have humber but no less sincere
imitators in Mexico. The actors are not
chosen because of any resemblance to
the great characters whom they person
ate, nor are they trained for the parts
which.they assume. The Mexican drama,
however. is none the less imposing in the
very evident sincerity Of the performers,
and in the deep and effecting impr
it makes upon the audience.
On Good Friday there are countless
representations of the Passion In differ
ent parts Of the Republic. Nearly every
one of the larger villages have open-air
performances Of scenes from the life of
our Saviour, concluding with His SEN
tenceH Pontius PLATE and His being
carried, off, cross laden, to the place of
execution. In nearly all the big cities
of their suburbs the play has been the
chief feature Of the Good Friday celebra~
ton for more than century. In the
outskirts of Mexico. City in villages call
ed Koyoacan, Atzcapotzalco and Tacuba,
the Passion Play is given on a more
elaborate scale than elsewhere through
out the Republic. Thousands go out
every year from the capital to Tacuba to
witness the strange scene. The theater
is arranged in the courtyard of the an
cient cathedral. Long before the time
when the first of the scriptural person
ages appears the great space Is densely
packed with people.
The actors are all Indians. The cos
tunes worn are poor and shabby. The
helmets Of the Roman soldiers are pal
pably of tin, and their lances, spears and
shields of gilded pasteboard. These
things strikes one when the play first be-
gins; hut the impression soon changes.
from one Of righteousness to solemnity.
Each individual actor seems infused
with the seriousness of his subject, and
realizes the responsibility that rests up
on him. They move about and speak
their lines with such a solemn gravity
and seem to feel so much that they really
are the persons whom they represent
that the thoughtful spectator gradually
comes to lose all sight Of the fact that the
men before are only poor, untutored Ind
iians, and little by little he becomes deep
:Iy interested in the unfolding Of the ter
ribly story The poverty of their at
tair seems to harmonize better than elab-
:orate costumes could possibly do with
the humble station of the companions of
Christ. That Peter, John and James
should walk barefooted only seems to
emphasize the reality Of the scenes de-
,picited, And then, too, the impressive
silence that enthralls the assembled
:multitudes tends to heighten still fur-
ither the delusion. Crudely represented
as it is, the scene of the gentle Saviour
carrying His cross toward Calvary be-
comes effecting in the extreme, and af-
fords solemn conclusion of the impress
sive drama.
I: Holy Saturday in the city OF the Az
tees has its own peculiar and unique
celebration. It is the day when the Mex
lean manifests his abhorrence of the
character of Judas Iscariot. The apostle
is held up to the public loathing in an
infinite variety Of ways. In all the
plazas of the city, booths are erected
where grotesque figures, usually made of
pasteboard, and attired in gaudy colored
paper costumes, are hung on a line,
awaiting purchasers. They are design
ed to represent the man who betrayed
Christ. The more hideous the physiog-,
nomy and shape the more certain that
particular Judas is to find purchaser.
On Holy Saturday morning in Mexico
City your eyes are. kept even bdsier than
your ears Which ever way you may
walk you see in all the streets much the
same strange sights. In every block
line is stretched across the street from
house to house, and hireous ef1gy is
hanging there like 1ynched felon. 1t
is Judas again--Judas everywhere! He
hangs there limp and ugly, swaying in
the breeze. and groups OF women and
children shout defiance at him from be-
low, while waiting impatiently for the
signal OF the poor wretch's final doom.
It comes instantaneously in all parts of
the city. The first stroke Of IL on the
big Cathedral clock consigns the thous-
ands of swinging figures to the flames
All Mexico turns out to witness the
wild scenes that ensue on the moment of
noon. The biggest throngs are always
gathered on San Francisco street, the
principal thoroughfare Of the city. Here
the ceremony consists of some thing
more than the simple burning of a paper
efsgy. Judas is represented sitting
astride a horse His steed is only
pasteboard, but its accoutrements are
real. There is real bride on the
horses head, and a handsome Mexican
saddle, ornamented with silver trap
pings. He wears handsome riding boots,
monnted- with silver spurs, and on his
head is gorgeous sombrero with sill
yer band. Nor is that all that entities
the. brilliant Judas to the attention Of
the waiting. crowd below. He and his
horse have been fed on silver coins until
they are fat with the diet. These things
belong to Judas for the moment, but
when the hour of noon strikes the $50
pieces.' many times multiplied, pass
from the keeping of the gaudy horseman
into the thousand pockets OF the throng
below. e: =,
All the windows in the neighboring
houses are densely massed with people.
Down in the streets the multitude of Ind
|lians are struggling for the vantage
nlaces. Men keep their watches in their
hands and observe the minute hand anx-
io,,sly as it creeps on its way to H.. A
servant comes out of the big door of the
Jockey Club, carrying a lighted paper
on the end OF long pole. He is greeted
With cheer of welcome by the waiting
crowds. Then the shouting gives place
to absolute silence; the silence Of keen
expectancy. In all the huge throng
every individual assumes an attitude OF