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Pastoral
Pondering: 2006 a chance to begin again striving to be better
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Posadas: Mary and Joseph's search for shelter |
The annual ritual at St. Michael
Episcopal Church plays out a little differently this year |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com |
A chilly rain fell
outside St. Michael Episcopal Church as families began to gather
within, preparing for Posadas, a celebration that re-enacts Mary and
Joseph’s search for shelter in Bethlehem.
It was too cold for
the group to make its customary trip around the nearby neighborhood
singing carols, praying and begging for entrance to a local home
where the group is refused attendance and sent back to the church,
said congregation member Felex Sanchez.
Usually the celebration of Posadas includes a pair of children
selected to carry a miniature crèche on a litter through the town at
the head of the procession. But on this night, Sanchez said, the
more than 35 church members in attendance agreed that remaining in
the warm church was a better idea.
Posadas is a traditional celebration held every night for the nine
nights before Christmas. It includes prayer, songs and carols sung
in Spanish. The idea is based on a similar tradition begun in Spain
and absorbed into the Mexican culture, Sanchez said.
On Wednesday night the procession began with services in the
sanctuary, then the congregation filed behind two children carrying
the crèche. The group maneuvered its way through tables set up for a
meal planned for later in the evening.
The procession ended at the doorway of the sanctuary, with a group
surrounding the crèche one one side and another group — representing
the innkeepers — on the other.
“In Mexico we go to different homes every night,” Sanchez said.
Adriana Campos, 15, said the event allows family members and
friends to spend time together and is a place to meet new people.
Karen Martinez, 13, agreed.
“We do Posadas every December,” she said. “It’s cool to be with the
family and enjoy the food.”
Family members gathered at tables to try out big bowls of red and
green posoles, a corn soup filled with potatoes, pork and chicken.
Baskets full of taco chips line the tables and glasses of hot, sweet
ponche, a drink made of apple juice, guava, apples, pineapple and
grapes, were ladled out for the gathering.
Large slices of a many-layered, pink and white birthday cake were
passed around to the group, then children prepared for their
favorite part of the evening, the breaking of the pinata.
Teresa Chavez, 7, said the chocolates in the pinata are her
favorite part of the celebration. “I come every year,” she said.
The breaking of the pinata is symbolic of making bad things go away
and good things come out, Sanchez said. |
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From
Dec. 24,
2005, Newberg Graphic
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