Christmas 2002
- Moments in Time
Our most ancient celebration
By GARY MACY
Surely the oldest and most enduring
American-born Christian ceremony must be that celebrating Our Lady of
Guadalupe. Thanks to the wonderful set of documents about American Hispanic
Catholics edited by Timothy Matovina and Gerald Poyo in their book
¡Presente! one can trace this fascinating history.
As early as 1755, the magistrate and town council of San Antonio
swore “that now and forever we shall celebrate the feast of Blessed Mary
of Guadalupe” “for [she is the] Universal Patroness of this New
World.” When Texas became part of the United States, visiting priests
sometimes presided over the ceremony and were impressed.
Here is part of a report by a French priest who attended the
ceremonies at Santa Rita in 1851: “Shortly after nightfall, we repaired to
the chapel. The litany of the Blessed Virgin was sung in chorus, as was also
vespers, and then we formed a procession by torchlight. Young girls in white
bore on a pole, ornamented with streamers, flowers and draperies, an image of
the patroness of the Mexicans. They were followed by musicians playing the
violin and mandolin, while I walked behind. All bore lighted torches or
lanterns in their hands and recited the rosary aloud. As we passed in front of
a cabin, the procession was saluted by the discharge of a gun, a rocket or a
musket. I rarely witnessed a more interesting spectacle.”
The celebration of Conejos, Colo., in 1874 featured a procession
of some 320 people on horse and foot, while that in Los Angeles in 1934
stretched several city blocks and included floats. As Catholics across North
America recently testified, the enthusiasm for this great feast continues
unabated in the 21st century.
Gary Macy is a theology professor at the University of San
Diego. He may be reached at macy@pwa.acusd.edu
National Catholic Reporter, December 20,
2002
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