The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
A PASSION PLAY IN MEXICO.
Christ Represented by an Image,
JOinted to Do Its Part.
Mexican Herald.


The version of the Passion play as wit
messed one day last week at Coyoacan was
somewhat marred by the rain that came
on in the afternoon, which necessitated the
crucfxion being held inside the church in
stead of on the artificial Calvary in the
churchyard, but the preliminary process
sion took place as usual in the open air.
The character of this procession is well
known to all old-time residents of Mexico.
An image of the Savior. dressed in a pur-
pie velvet robe, crowned with thorns, and
bearing His cross, is carried on platform
around the churchyard, surrounded by Ro-
man soldiers, Hebrew priests and crowds
of the faithful bearing lights. On the same
platform with the Savior are the Cyrenian,
q part taken yesterday by young boy,
Cruz Rivas, dressed in crimson and white,
and three little girls, representing angels,
dressed in white muslin with silver gossa-
mer wings. They held handkerchiefs to one
eye as if grieving over the sorrows of the
Redeemer, while with the other they calmly
surveyed the crowd. In front of the pro-
cession walked two bands, the first per-
forming the monotonouS music of the indig
enous race, consisting only of the beating
of drum and the piping of the chirimia, the
second rendering modern selections in excel
lent style. Only these selections We're some
what incongruous such as Waltzes, polkas,
etc.
During the procession the three falls of
the Savior are represented. 1t is a tradi-
ton among the Catholics that Jesus fell
three times under the heavy weight of His
cross on His way to Calvary The image Is
constructed with hinges, SO as to fall for
ward when desired. All this time a sermon
being preached te yeste6Pday tb by Easeer
halted near the pulpit, which was placed
under an outrageous ash tree, ne ad-
dressed the Savior or His mother, who was
dressed in purple, with the sword of grief
TRANSMITTING her breast, in the most earnest
and pathetic terms.
shaded with trees and the procession, as
it wound under them, made, with the en-
tire setting the venerable and weather
stained old church building and the motley
and picturesquely attired crowd. most et-
fectve and impressive spectacle. The
dresses of the Roman soldiers were of pur-
pie, green scarlet and yellow, generously
bespangled, and they wore FURNISHED he'll
NETS and enormous plumes of the brightest
colors. The white-bearded Hebrew priests
wore their gorgeous VestmentS with horned
miters. and over the procession waved flags
of black, orange, purple white and Ver1ml-
ion. Yet coarse as these components may
After the procession the people formed in
two long lines in front of the pulpit. and the
crier. Manuel Rivas on horseback, mum
dered forth the sentence against Christ.
At times his horse became unmanageable,
and. as it started to bolt, his words We're
almost lost in his efforts to rein it in. The
people at this juncture made no attempt
to repress their hilarity.
After Manuel Rivas had vociferated Pr
late's sentence he handed 1t to the priest In
the pulpit who, as in Madam CalderonS
day received it with a look of horror.
tried to read it and threw it on the ground
with an air of Indignation.
Owing To the shower that came on very
soon after the crucitiXion the casting OF the
lots for the seamless coat and other Incl
dents of the Passion play were represented
inside the church. Each episode as II
passed before the eyes of the people was
explained by Father Avila, who occupied
the pulpit. When the figure of Christ was
taken down from the cross II mad grown
quite dark and the procession OF people
carrying candles and accompanying the
body to the tomb made the most pictur-
esque feature of the entire ceremony, es-
ppciallV as seen from distance.