The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-01-20
INDIANS PAY HOMAGE
TO PATRON SAINT
FIFTY THOUSAND RED MEN IN
SACRED PILGRIMAGE. VIR-
GIN OF GUADALUPE.

GUADALUPE, Mexico. - Fifty
thousand Indians from all parts OF
Mexico have just completed their
week of homage to their patron saint,
the Virgin of Guadalupe and their
pilgrimage to the shrine of Virgin
here, as sacred a journey as ever was
made by Mohammedans to Mecca or
Hindus to the River Gauges.
This ceremony marks the 388th an
niversary of the traditional divine
manifestation which resulted in the
conversion to Christianity of virtual
" all Indians in Mexico and led to
the erection here of a magnificent
cathedral, several chapels and the
shrine. 1t has been a week of prayer,
church-going and fiesta for the In
dams.
The incident from which the cere-
mony had its origin transpired, ac-
cording to tradition, in 1881, when
an Indian is said to have met on the
present site of Guadalupe village the
apparition of the Blessed Virgin who
imprinted her image upon the cloth
ierkin the Indian was wearing. This
miracle so impressed the Indians that
a shrine was erected here and later
the cathdral 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, encased
in silver, gold and gems.
Guadalupe Day." the celebration!
is called. is a strange combination of
devotion and 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 the natives who have
journeyed on foot or with burros for
hundreds of miles come bringing
their tiny charcoal stoves upon which
they cook their smelly food and for
bed curl themselves into a blanket
and sleep on the ground. At least
10000 of them were scattered over
the spacious 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 where the divine man.
Hesitation is said to have taken place
and is reached over a pathway studd-
ed with rocks and winding around
the hills. Up this roadway trudge the
natives singing their weird incanta-
tions and carrying offerings of fruits,
flowers and animals to the Virgin. A
few of the more devout cling TO the
custom of two centuries ago by crawl
ing to the shrine on hands and knees
with violent beating of arms and wild
lamentations.
The ceremony of devotion complet-
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 of the
gate to the cathedral enclosure. Food,
drink and souvenirs are sold at count
less stalls. There is medicine man"
who astounds his spectators by chang
ing a blue cloth to red one and
there are merry-yo-rounds, plckpock-
cts and foreigners with clicking cam
eras. At night orchestraS drone In
dams melodies and the natives dance
and sing
This alternating 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."