Religious Events

Virgen de Guadalupe Novenas

Virgen de Guadalupe Novenas

Last night was the 6th Novena for the Guadalupe in our neighborhood. Each day more people come and live music arrived on the fourth Novena. Don’t let the peacefulness of it fool you or make you nostalgic for simpler times because once it got started, […]

Locos Parade 2011

Locos Parade 2011

Every June in San Miguel de Allende, they celebrate the feast day of San Antonio de Padua with first, Rockets beginning at about 4am, followed by religious processions and masses and a full size carnival with lots of kiddie rides, ending a week later with […]

Living in the Neighborhoods

Living in the Neighborhoods

I won’t say that wonderful events don’t happen downtown, because they do. But when things happen out in the neighborhoods they have a character all their own, an organic feel to them – like everyone just chipped in whatever they had that day and said […]

Semana Santa Processions

Semana Santa Processions

Photos from the stations of the cross processions and Good Friday’s  Santo Encuentro procession. Photos from the stations of the cross processions and Good Friday’s  Santo Encuentro procession.    

Palm Sunday, 2011

Palm Sunday, 2011

For starters, a few photos.. more to come

Viernes de Dolores

Viernes de Dolores

Viernes de Dolores, Friday of sorrows, the day that altars are built to honor Mary’s pain. Our neighbor constructed this beautiful altar this morning and is serving drinks and snacks to everyone who comes by today to visit.

Follow up to Virgin of Guadalupe

Follow up to Virgin of Guadalupe

Slow but sure, I am catching up on my video footage.  December 12, the celebration for the Virgen de Guadalupe.  The celebrations started a few blocks down from our house where several new altars were built this year and a pilgrimage began on foot and […]

Virgin of Guadalupe

Virgin of Guadalupe

Today is the Virgin of Guadalupe’s day. December 12th. Last night, two streets down, our neighbors held the last novena for the Guadalupe and sang songs to her from 7PM until… well, they are still singing.  I awoke several times during the night to the […]

More Celebrations

More Celebrations

Last weekend, in an overnight to the city of Guanajuato, the neighborhood behind our hotel was having their saints day celebration.  Mid-afternoon, a procession which was headed for the church passed by the restaurant we were having lunch at, blasting off loud rockets to a […]

Carnaval San Miguel Style

Carnaval San Miguel Style

There’s not much going on here for Carnaval, but in the Jardin, you can buy gorgeous hand made paper flowers, accordion legged ‘payasitos’ – little clowns – paper masks and confetti filled eggs – cascarones – which the children run around with – war style […]

Candelaria

Candelaria

February 2 – the candlemas, groundhog day in the United States, a cross quarter celebration world-wide, is known here in Mexico as the candelaria, celebrated the 40th day after Christ’s birth, the day Jesus was presented to the temple.  Never mind that the reason it […]

Seven Deadly Sins

Seven Deadly Sins

In Queretaro, there is a nacimiento in the main plaza – four blocks filled with larger than life Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the three kings bearing gifts, walking along with their elephant and white horse. There’s the annunciation, with Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, a menagerie of animals […]

Nacimiento Babes

Nacimiento Babes

Every Christmas, Markets are set up all over town, Hundreds of stalls selling Cactus, Heno, Tree bark, Fir boughs, Painted clay figures, Glittery things, Lights, Nino Jesus dolls – the Santo Nino Along with elaborate hand made clothing To dress him in, for his birth […]

Santa Cecilia

Santa Cecilia

On the way into town yesterday, at the bottom of our hill, we ran into a several groups of mariachis singing to a statue of Santa Cecelia, who was resting on a litter, garnished in flowers, carried by two modern young women, chewing bubble gum. […]

Six Months Later

Six Months Later

I met up with  Elvia and her four daughters at the cemetery today.  She was late so I waited in front for an hour, arms full of flowers – you know me by now, trying to video people coming in with flowers, buckets, shovels, eating […]

Wedding Getaways

Wedding Getaways

Last Saturday John was walking downtown When he crossed paths with a wedding getaway, A couple on their decked out motorcycle, Four women gathering the bride’s skirt up Tucking her in, and off they went. With a double police escort On motorcycles, of course In […]

Xuchiles

Xuchiles

Beginning in the early hours this morning, this family began making a Xuchile – an altar made from bamboo like strips, lashed to twenty five foot poles, then covered in flowers which are made from the root ball of the agave plant, decorated with juniper […]

Festival Atotonilco

Festival Atotonilco

Festival at Atotonilco The 300th birthday Padre Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro Founder of the shrine Of Jesus de Nazareth, Atotonilco A spiritual retreat Visited by 2 million pilgrims annually. With days of celebrations, Culminating in today’s festival With Purepecha dancers, Orations and prayers Huapango […]

When You Turn three..

When You Turn three..

Yesterday, Esther & Daniel brought an invitation by. Daniel is the nephew of my neighbor Petra. Esther is the daughter of the Norteno band. They play traditional music for dancing and singing at Petra’s parties. It is the third birthday Of their daughter Monserrat. The […]

Catching Up

Catching Up

2014 Disclaimer: This reflects the decisions we make in 2009. Anything written here may have changed since then. This is a log of our story and you will want to do your own research as rules/plans change. It seems like every time I travel north […]

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi

Or body of Christ. The feast day which commemorates The gift of the Eucharist, which occurred During the last supper, The Thursday before Easter. That’s the short version. But here, it is also another day to celebrate By decorating the town in red velvet and gold […]

The Final Novena

The Final Novena

Tonight, the nine novenas ended. The rosary was said, as it normally is With songs to the Virgin Mary Between the Our fathers and Hail Marys. I came in a few minutes after it started Standing room only, but Victoria, Waves me over to the […]

Influenza Day 8 and Fifth Novena

Influenza Day 8 and Fifth Novena

Regarding the ‘S’ word… We walked into town about 5:30 The Jardin is full today, The streets are still rather quiet. No one but the waiters are wearing the masks (tapabocas) Nor do you see many Hanging it around people’s necks. Looking at the photos, […]

The Novenas and a Tragedy

The Novenas and a Tragedy

After Maricela’s funeral The nine days of Novenas Are said at Petra’s house. 7:30 every night, With a meal provided afterwards. The singing begins at 7pm A hundred or more people show up Every night. There is something good to be said For praying together […]

Senor de las Columnas Returns to Atotonilco

Senor de las Columnas Returns to Atotonilco

At about 1 am John woke me to say “Fireworks!” I think the procession is nearby I’m going… Normally I am up and running But this time, I am too tired And unable to rise for the occasion. I heard the door slam as he […]