Fiesta de San Bernardino de Siena

Fiesta de San Bernardino de Siena, a set on Flickr.

Yesterday was Ascension Sunday here in Mexico. It was also the feast day of St Bernard of Siena. In our parish that meant that we celebrated both - but mostly the Fiesta de San Bernardino de Siena! To make things a little more complicated, we also had the Bishop here to celebrate Confirmations...

The parish also tries to make a little money during the Fiesta - so all the parish groups organize stalls - mostly food. The youth from the Centro de Proyección Universitaria (which I found out this week is a non-geographical University Parish!) organized desserts: flan, brownies, strawberries and cream, cakes etc. These went on sale at 7.00am. And people were buying...

There was also a "Marriage Celebrant" - one of the lads dressed in an old red soutane and surplus who for a small fee "married" any couple amidst great hilarity! A popular activity was the greasy pole - teams attempted to climb it to retrieve prizes. A miracle no-one was killed - particularly the small children dancing around the bottom dodging the prizes as they were thrown down by the chap at the top!

All in all a successful day...

Guadalupe

Yesterday I went to “Mexico”. Locals refer to Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico) simply as “Mexico” or “DF” for Distrito Federal. The original people of the region were the Mexica and founded the city of Tenochtitlán where the city is now.

The greater part of the city is in the Federal District, an administrative region separate from the other regional States of Mexico. Mexico City’s 25 million inhabitants now overflow the DF.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe - note the lean on the older basilica.

I would guess that most of them were either in the metro or in their cars yesterday. Auckland has nothing on Mexico for congestion!

I went, with a Mexican seminarian, David, to the Basilica of Guadalupe, patron of Mexico and the Americas.

Actually it is a complex of at least five churches! The largest and most modern is the Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe. Since 1976, the original painting of Holy Mary of Guadalupe is on view here. You can get a closer look by going under the sanctuary of the church where there are several moving walkways crossing in front of the image. I imagine they're to prevent you camping there whilst saying your rosary! I was able to go back and forth without any problems, although I guess when there are huge crowds there (I estimate there were only a few thousand in the basilica!) they would move you on.

The inside of the Basilica - you can just see the painting on the centre wall

The Original Image

The Moving Walkway - under the Sanctuary

We visited the second church dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. This is one begun in 1695. It’s a miracle it hasn’t fallen down. The building is leaning toward the front. It must be a metre or two out of whack at the top. They’ve stabilized it now, so it won’t move any further. The hope is to restore it to level. It can’t be too bad, it does survive Mexico’s frequent earthquakes!

During the Cristero war, a bomb, hidden in a floral arrangement, exploded under the main altar. It caused little damage. A crucifix was bent in two preventing, according to the locals, any damage to the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The church is open, and there’s exposition of the Blessed Sacrament here 24 hours a day. I noticed I had to climb a slight incline as I entered – and almost got up to a jog leaving (due to the slope caused by subsidence!)

We also climbed the hill of Tepeyac – where Mary appeared to the Indian Juan Diego. I confess I was a little puffed going up the steps to the top – even though it’s not a great climb. I guess I haven’t got used to the altitude yet. Up on the hill is the St Michael chapel, built in 1749 to replace an earlier church (1666). It was here that Juan Diego collected the roses local to Durango in Castilla, Spain. Juan was to show them to the bishop, a native of Durango, to prove that Mary had appeared to him.

Looking over Mexico City - the old Basilica (right) and Convent in front.

Inside there are murals depicting the appearance of Mary to Juan Diego and subsequent events. It’s dedicated to St Michael Archangel as protector of Mary. According to tradition it was him who delivered the painting from heaven to Juan Diego. 

St Michael Archangel

There are several other churches – a parish church, a chapel, which is believed to be where Mary appeared to Juan Diego, another chapel called the Chapel of the Indians and a convent – empty at the moment due to subsidence. 

One of the murals in the Chapel of St Michael

I bought a key ring to remind me of my visit! A bargain at 25 pesos – NZ$2.30!

In the afternoon we tried to go to visit the centre of Mexico City, the Zocalo – the main plaza. The trip is something like 14 stops on the metro and several changes of line. Not a problem usually – except Paul McCartney is giving a free concert today in the Zocalo and yesterday the metro lines were even more crowded than usual. And for some reason they announced rain delays. 

With David - Mexico City disappearing into the gloom

So we abandoned our visit. On the way back rushing to catch a train, David was able to enter the unit. I was only able to get a foot in, which the door closed on! Trapped by the foot I had visions of train surfing to the next station. I expected the door to open. It wasn’t opening. I managed to pull my foot out before the train moved off. I had to yell and ask David how many stops before I could meet up with him.

They told me the conductor is responsible for opening the doors when they close on someone. He must have thought he’d give this gringo a fright and not open the doors! Or he was asleep – both quite possible!

The Cristiada II

I finally got to see the movie, The Cristiada. It's a must see if you're interested in Mexico. Apparently this is a part of Mexican history that is not taught in the national history syllabus. It's too controversial. The movie is very sympathetic to the Cristeros. For example the part where Padre Vega orders the train burnt - in the movie it's an accident that 51 civilians are burnt alive. Padre Vega, in general, gets a more positive slant on his life and actions. He was, by most accounts, a bit of a black sheep in Jesus' flock!

Jose Sanchez del Rio with the Cristeros Army

And the church wasn't universally in favour of the Cristiada. But the movie does recount some of the better known events: the martyrdom of Padre Francisco Vera (played by Peter O'Toole in the movie) and of Jose  Sanchez del Rio, aged 14. It seems that the lad wasn't inspired by Padre Vera or even met with  Gorostieta (the Cristeros General, played by Andy Garcia). There's been a little poetic license used in the writing of the movie! Below I've included an account of Jose Luis's life and death.

Even with its inaccuracies, the movie is certainly worth a look.

I've begun reading a history of the Cristiada by French historian Jean Meyer. Three volumes! Early in 2013 the CPU takes a pilgrimage of students to the national young people's celebration of Christ the King held on the hill of Cubilete. I need to know a bit more about it!

The Monument of Christ the King on Cubilete Hill.

The Story of Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio .

In 1927, Catholic Mexico was immersed in a violent storm of religious persecution. The President of Mexico at that time was a despot named Plutarco Calles.  His hatred for the Church had no limits. He killed priests and burned churches.

In legitimate self defense, countless Catholics took up arms to defend their Faith.  Whenever they charged into battle, the Cristeros, as they were called, shouted: "Viva Cristo Rey!" "Long live Christ the King!"

Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio

Young Jose Joins the Cristeros

Many Catholics shed their blood in this conflict.  Many were martyred. And Blessed Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio was among them.  From a young age he had a great love and enthusiasm for the Blessed Sacrament, and encouraged his friends to have more devotion to Our Lord and Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Whenever Jose heard of the glorious battles of the Cristeros, which his two brothers were engaged in, his desire to join the holy army only intensified.  Finally, Jose wrote a letter to one of the Cristero Generals, Prudencio Mendoza, pleading to be allowed to fight. The general acquiesced.

Capture and Imprisonment

In a certain battle, Jose was rushing to bring a fellow soldier a new supply of ammo.  Just then, he caught sight of the General whose horse had been shot dead.  On foot, without a horse, the General was extremely vulnerable. 

Making a sacrifice that might cost him his life, Jose freely gave the general his own horse.  Moments later, he was caught by the federalists and locked up in a church sacristy that had been turned into a prison.  One of the guards had put a number of expensive fighting roosters inside the church for safekeeping.  This sacrilege troubled young Jose. He said: "This is not a barnyard! This is a place for God!"  He soon caught all the prized roosters and snapped their necks.

The enemies of Christ the King soon decided to kill him.

Holy Boldness in Defense of the Faith

On the way to execution, soldiers struck him savagely with sharp machetes.  With every blow, the young boy cried out, "Viva Cristo Rey!"  When he got to the cemetery, he was bleeding heavily.  His torturers had also cut off the soles of his feet and forced him to walk on salt.  The boy screamed with pain but would not give in.  As the road was nothing but rocks and dirt, the stones where he had walked were soaked in his blood.  The soldiers said:  "If you shout, ‘Death to Christ the King’, we will spare your life."  He only answered: "Long live Christ the King! Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe!"

The commander ordered the soldiers to bayonet Jose.  They pierced his body.   But with every stab he only shouted louder and louder: "Viva Cristo Rey!"  The commander was so enraged that he pulled out his pistol and on February 10, 1928 killed Blessed Jose on the spot.  There was no trial.

He was declared a martyr and was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on November 20, 2005.