Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-01-12
INDIANS Of !.
NE X|CO CELEBRATE
GUADALUPE DAY
Strange Legend Gives Rise to
Unique FeStaI Occasion;
Mixture of Religion and HI
larity Prevails.

!
Guadalupe, Mex, Dec. 10 thy Mall)
Fifty thousand Indians from all
| paris OF Mexico have just completed
! their week Of homage To- their patron
saint, the Virgin Of Guadalupe and
| their pilgrimage to the shrine Of the
! Virgin here, as sacred a journey as
ever was made by MOhammedans to
Mecca or Hindus to the river Gauges.
This ceremony marks the ASSN an
| niyersary of the traditional divine
manifestation which resulted i'm the
conversion. to Christianity OF virtually
an Indians in Mexico and led 10 the
erection here of a magnificent ca
thedral, several chapeIs and The
shrine. 1t has been a week Of pray =,
church going and fiesta for the In
dams.
The incident from which the cere-
mony had its origin transpired, Hc-
cording TO tradition, in 1881 when an
Indian is said 10 have met on the pres
ent site of Guadalupe village the APP
partition of the Blessed Virgiu, who
imprinted her image upon the cloth
jerkin the Indian was wearing. This
miracle so impressed the Indians tina.
Ia shrine was erected here and later
the cathedral and chapels. Through
the succeeding centuries this has been
the Mecca to which nearly all indians
of Mexico turn for one week during
the year.
The jerkin bearing the imprint is
still preserved in the shrine, encJscd
in silver, gold and gems.
Guadalupe day. as the celebration
is called. is a strange combination Of,
devotion ana unbridled hilarity on the
part of the Indians. Guadalupe is
within easy access from Mexico City
and the festival always attracts many
foreign spectators from the capital.
Thousands Of natives who have
journeyed on foot or with burrUS for
hundreds OF miles, come bringing their
tiny charcoal stoves upon which they
cook their smelly food and for a bed
curl themselves into a blanket and
sleep on the ground At least 10000
of them were scattered over the spa
oious plaZas and hills on the opening
night when the ceremonies began with
a midnight mass.
The shrine at the top of the hill
marks the spot wh@e the divine man
Hesitation is said to have taken place
and is reached over a rude pathway
studded with rocks and winding
dIpuuh tDt NH l y lIllS TUduH'y
trudge the natives singing their weird
incantations and carrying offerings of
fruits, flowers and animals to the Viz
gin. A few of the more deVout cling
to the custom of two centuries ago by |
crawling to the shrine on hands and
knees with violent beating of arms
and wild lamentations.
The ceremony Of devotion ComplCt !
ed, the Indians return to The village
and hold turbulent carnival and in
dulge in their faVorite stimulant
pulque.
There are tents for gambling, one
of which is at the entrance to the
gate 70 the cathedral enclosure. Food, |
drink and souvenirs are sold at count !
less stalls. There is a medicine man
who astounds his spectators by chang |
ing blue cloth to a red one and there |
are merry go-founds, pickpockets and |
foreigners with clicking cameras Att
night, orchestras drone Indian melr-
dies and the natives dance and sing. |
This lernating worship and mer- |
ry-making is continued for week !
and then the groups dispense and the !
Indians start for home, leaving this !
little village again to its year of Sc !
renity to await another Guadalupe |
day"