Las Iglesias

Sunday morning being my first morning in Xela, I had asked Patricia, the mother in my host family, if there was a Catholic Church in the area.. she pointed across the park. When I asked at what time there was a Mass there, she checked with her son, Carlos (who happens to want to be a priest as well when he grows up!), and indicated that they thought that there were Masses at 6 AM, 8:30, 10:00, and basically all day. I decided to sleep in, and go to the 8:30 Mass.

I got there about 8:00, just in case, and the previous Mass, whenever it had started, was just letting out. I think that there are only about twenty rows of pews, one on each side of the Church, but it was like clowns getting out of a small clown car, there were so many people! They kept coming and coming. And this was an early Mass!

I imagine I got a small chance to know what Jan feels like during Mass.. I swear that I was at least half a head taller than anyone else in the Church.  I am exaggerating slightly, perhaps, but I was definitely the odd-man-out.  It was a nice Mass, and I could follow it, since Mass is Mass is Mass, no matter what language.  But as for understanding it.. well, I had not begun my studies yet, so I guess I could be excused.

Later, as I was walking to my school (to make sure I knew the way.. it´s about a five minute walk from my host family), I saw that the school was about three blocks from the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Los Altos Quetzaltenango-Totanicapán.  Sheer coincidence.


The original cathedral was built in the 1500s, and was the second Church built in Latin America.  Only the front of it survives (as in the above picture). 

Behind-and-to-the-right is the front of the modern cathedral.  The doors appear to always be open, even during Mass.

The cathedral is probably comparable to St. Patrick´s in Norwich in terms of size, although I always have trouble with these types of comparisons.  There are many side alters, and a side chapel where daytime Mass is sometimes held.

I went to Mass last night, and there happened to be a special feast day.  I´m not sure I totally understood the feast, but it seemed to be the feast of the child Jesus.  Something special in Guatemala, evidently.  Mass was packed with people, and there was a large procession afterward.The procession was led by a banner and a group of ladies dressed in veils and carrying candles.  My instructor later told me that these are the oldest women parishioners in the town.




The main "float" was carried by several men.  There seemed to be at least a dozen men carrying it, like one carries a coffin.  Outside, there were fireworks and firecrackers, and a band was playing.  The whole procession continued down the road into the dark.

It was really fantastic to get to experience this.  I have heard of old processions that used to occur, like on the feast of Corpus Christi, and it was fun to get to experience this special devotion.  It was really fortuitous; I did not have any idea that it was going to happen, but I enjoyed it.

However, I must admit that the best part of the Mass was not the procession, but the fact that I pretty much understood the Gospel and the homily without much difficulty.  Now, it was a Gospel with very simple words (lots of "hermano" and "madre"), but nevertheless, I felt that I am now making some progress!  The only thing that marred the evening was that I got lost on the way home.  But I did get there eventually!

The pictures are not great, I know.  Elizabeth lent me her camera, so I can take better ones that the above (which have been with my iPhone).  But right now, it is easier to get the photos to the internet cafe computer through my iPhone´s WiFi, thus I´m putting up smaller, less-clear images.  I´ll work on that.

One last picture to put up here.  Not that it has anything to do with the subject matter, but because it is amusing to me.  It was a sign posted on the bulletin board at the school.