Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Juquila






The loudspeaker near the church calls people to mass, to the public phone house to receive a call from a loved one, or to meet their group at a speciied location. The 8th of December is Juquila's day and crowds crush through the area under the maze of tarps that make up Juquila's serpentine market of religious mementos, artisanal sweets, household items, and other goodies. This serpentine market leads to the church courtyard which is packed with devotees who have come to request a miracle of the Virgin. Inside, the pews have been removed from the church and people stand shoulder to shoulder gazing upon the tiny icon who stands on a platform high above the crowds. The faithful have journeyed from far and wide for this opportunity to attend mass and make their personal request of the miraculous Virgin of Juquila. Parades seem to explode out of nowhere. Juquila is a colourful whirl of tradition and celebration. Try not to get lost in the chaos!

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