Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1913-12-26

HA lduu OF romance anu
>AlNyNe, sunshine, than it does
y ESssS. ss.,=xz, perhaps in any other
sllsgSSSEsNSN country. At least there
As#aeisI G SY!sSN is nothing approaching
Ai-1-:1zz''S-Ss0 1t in the western part
Of the world. The holiday season be-
gins nine days before Christmas and
winds IN with '"Twelfth night"
All solemn feasts in the Roman
Catholic church are preceded b.
"novenas" or special church service.
The Christmas celebration is Sem
religious, beginning On the sixteonth i
OF December, or ninc nights before |
Christmas, and is repeated every !
night until Christmas eve. This is
called LAS posadas" and commeuo-
rates the eight successive, but unsuc-
cessful days Of search for an INN"
or place Of rest in Bethlehem, by the |
Holy Family when they had gone up
to Nazareth to pay their taxes in the
city where they belonged as lineal
descendants Of David.
Day after day Saint Joseph and the
Holy Mother asked in vain for admit
lance to some "meson" or place of
retirement, only to be refused admis-
sion everywhere.
In vain did she plead her great
necessity, the inns were already
crowded and there was no room for
the pilgrims, SO they were repeatedly
turned away.
On the night Of the sixteenth Of
| December bands of from five to one
hundred gather together at some ones
house and start on the rounds of visit
ing the houses of their friends. These
bands are supposed to represent the
| three wise men seeking the infant
saviour and the Holy Family seeking
shelter The origin of this quaint GUS
tom has been lost since the Spanish
conquest. 1t is called 'pidierdo posa-
das"--2skinG shelter--and at every
house they are all invited In, offered
wine and food and after some argu-
ment they are Offered the house"
They finally depart and so on to the
next house only to repeat the pre-
yious performance.
During the visit one-half of the
company go outside the house and
form in a solemn procession, the
other half remaining inside and each
carries a lighted candle. The leaders
bear small lighted shrine in which
!, are tho images of the Santos
peregrinos' holy pilgrims. Joseph
, and Mary They slowly march back
and forth in front of the house or
around the patio" chanting the
litany to Saint Mary in a high minor
, key; then they stop at the door and
knocking ask for admittance. There
, are about twelve verses for this which
y are chanted first by those outside
q asking admittance. then answered BY
!. those on the inside refusing to open
n the door. and the denial of the per
o sonality Of the Holy Family
/. After the pleading petition and cur
: refusal those within are finally con
WINGED that they who ask for theil
hospitality are really the Holy Pill
grims, when they open wide the door
and bid them enter: Enter, holy pill
grims. honor my poor mansion" etc
The pilgrims" then enter. tn
images are placed in small grott
which has been especially prepare'
for tho purpose; lighted candle o
brightlight is held above by some on
in a manner to represent the star Q
bethlehem; some person present
r. either priest or layman, leads in tn
Ave Marias. short prayers are sale
more hymns sung and the religion
features for that night are at an enc
ch and at once the festivities of tn
night begin which usually last unit
nearly morning.
On Christmas eve the same pr
gram is followed except that an imag
y Of the Hold Child, lying naked in
small manager filled with straw.
ut. carried between the godfather an
"- gcdmother. who have been appointe
ht. by the hostess to this great honor, an
singing the litany and other hymn
they proceed as on previous evening
on until at 1880 they begin singing Il
song Of the 'noche-buena" or Chris
lie. mas night. Then follow Ave Maria
he glorias, litany to the "Nino Dios" {
God-child. when tho image Is placed
ed the grotto prepared for the receptio
where it remains till the end Of Il
Ter holiday season.
lid Groups Of friends and relatives CO..
eine for these ooea6as. dteoee