The Republican journal., 1896-06-25
strange customs III fuCatdn.
ii, ss,tna Of santo christie De, Amor ABull.
i% @.t. mime Name of "God and Liberty" Scenes
is. Village Of 0xcutzeab.

neStas IN TINS queer country,
serest is that of Santo Christie
..a the ceremony OF choosing a
anon for the favorite saint.
f.. Where spiritual patrons are thick
q mid summer, the idea of re-
usual order and appointing
8unize the saints, seems so novel
.elled to witness the perform
.ul4l in doing so we missed the
which our passage had been
nd were compelled to remain
utmght in Yucatan. In the
,aopolitan capital many of the
Hstoms, religious and social,
bandoned, but in the villages
Lucatan claims no fewer than
i.l prevail in all the quaint
CENTURIES ago. Although the
fhe ucatecans is nominally
olie the church government,
the rural districts, is largely
hY the native characteristic
~Uperstitions of the Indians.
gun by the early priests, as a
ecessity, to satisfy a conquer
-le,j from the worship of their
u Cortez overthrow the gods
eIs and commanded them, on
-J-h, to worship new ones, it
-' cases only a substitution OF
ols for another. Though the
toasted that he converted
ate OF thousands day, it is
sreeted that their darkened in
Id SO quickly grasp the idea of
.N Born to the folms and cere-
S. # IDOL worship, they could not
l abstract theories thus sud
mug upon them, unless present
tangible form; and so their
instructors allowed certain num-
Indian rites to creep into the
a~,ices of the church. to attract
tOmmunicantS- some of which
reserved in a modified form.
These quaint ceremonials peculiar
Au is that of putting a saint I'M
"a patronage. Besides the lesser
p are patrons of individuals, a
u principal saints are usually
Is special objects Of veneration;
said that partisan feeling be-
cates Of the various favorites
1ns as high as at ward eau
lee United States. The usual
ra the Patron and Patroness of
e- san Mateo, Fl Senior del
l San Antonio the Patron of
Nu,-ra Sonora de la Conception,
i3 who presides over marriages.
.- af the Bosar;es or de los
and each OF these saints
~es, while supposed 10 act as
-eneral To the community, is
under the special care OF an
An.Ian, OF patron in particular.
raest decides which saint shall
uonized'' by observing which
Hnug the many in each church,
be the most popular; that is,
-..les contain always the most
sings, and before whom the
amber Of Indians are every day
When the saints have been Sc
nnest appoints Il Indians to
counterfeit presentments."
-y patrons are known as May
office conters about the same
as that of deacon among our
brethren, The Mayoles pro-
.eg chief outside their own
ho is to be the much honored
and then to the thirteen is
eNclusive guardianship of the
-e,Aer with its Jewels, vest
i've offerings and all pertaining
l entire year. The Bishop, in
# office, administers to them a
H-L. sprinkles them with holy
bestows upon them a special
md proud and happy are the
us upon whom greatness has
trred and who are bound to travel
best in the thorny path of viz
Outstanding the extraordinary
-"u OF having free access to what
IS is wealth incalculable.
The ceremony of the Mayoles, we
Fr' TO OXcutZcob, an Indian village
tdd the nearest hill -range; and be-
ID. tests of Yucatecan family we
f-u thereto in volante, a la Cleo
" be1 barge, being obliged to re-
"A mattress in the low rooted,
A- ing. In Oxcutzcob this year it
'hra hat the saint to whom pat
'a~ assigned was one of whom
a'Nd before-El Santo Christie del
orally translated, The saint
"a Love" By what process Of
ia4 the Saviour is classed among
'lls | am as much at loss to under
As the idea that He requires a
n tdtron; but our business, however,
-'iely to observe and report, with
N'tliing with things beyond our
-A'nSion. The opening of the fies-
q bounced at sunrise by the clang-
n Tie bells in the village and the
-- j rockets on the church top.
~"ott all Spanish America the
IH- Il DaSSiaD fn, II ,aurn,.l,c ,,1J