The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-12
MEXICAN INDIANS HAVE GREAT DAY
 OF CEREMONIES
Make Journeys of Many Miles to Worship at Shrine
 of Patron Saint

Guadalupe, Mexico, Jan. 12.-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>the Vir- gin here, as sacred a journey as ever was made by Moham1nedans to Mecca or Hindus to the river Ganges.
 This ceremony marks the 338th an niversary of the traditional divine maifestidon which resulted in the conversion to Christianity of virtually all Indians in Mexico and led to the erection here of a magnificent cathe- dral, several chapels and the shrine. It has been a week of prayer, church going and fiesta for the Indians.
 The incident from which the cere- mony had its origin transpired, ac- cording to tradition, in 1531 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 jerkin the Indian was wearing. This miracle so impressed the Indians that a 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 Tor one week during the year.
 The jerkin bearing the imprint is still preserved in the shrine, encased in silver, gold and gems.
 "Guadalupe Day., as the celebra- uon is called, is a strange combina- tion of devotion and unbridled hilar- ity on the part of the Indians. Guad- alupe is within easy access from Mex ico City and the festival always at tracts 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 a bed curl themselves into a blanket and sleep on the ground. At least 30,O00 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 | manifestation is said 70 have taken place is reached over a rude path way studded with rocks and winding l round the hill. Up this roadway the
 natives singing their weird incanta. tions and carrying offerings of fruits | flowers and animals to the Virgin. l few of the more devout cling to tht l custom of two centuries ago by crawl 1 ing to the shrine on hands and knee: with violent beating of arms and wilt 1 lamentations.
 l The ceremony of devotion completed | the Indians return to the village anc 1 hold turbulent carnival and indulge 1 in their favorite stimulant, pulque. l There are tents for gambling, one O. l which is at the entrance to the gat, | to the cathedral enclosure. Food 1 drink and souvenirs are sold at count less stalls. There is medicine man | who astounds his spectators b. | changing a blue cloth to a red on
 and there are merry-go-rounds, pick pockets and foreigners with cI1ckin
 cameras. At night, orchestras dron
 Indian melodies and the natives sin;
 and dance.
 This alternating worship and mer
 ry-making is continued for a wee,
 and then the groups disperse and tn
 Indians start for home leaving thi
 little village again to its year of ser
 entity to await another "Guadalup | Day..