Prendimiento de Nuestro Señor
04/07/07 07:42 AM Filed in: Mexico
Holy Week—Semana Santa—is in full swing here in San Miguel de Allende. Every event leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is remembered in some sort of ceremony. On Wednesday night, it was a procession commemorating El Prendimiento de Nuestro Señor—the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.
The procession started as people left La Iglesia de San Rafael after attending services. Four burly men carried a statue of Jesus. Not visible in the image is the rope that binds his hands, the end of which is held, I think, by the Roman soldier. The choir in cassocks and cottas sang hymns as they marched.
Gone was the celebratory spirit of Viernes de Dolores. I saw no smiles on the faces of the participants.
Costuming was elaborate. Considerable effort and expense had gone into preparing for this event.
As the Roman soldier marched toward me, I found myself faced with a dilemma. I wanted photographs. The participants wanted a reenactment of a hallowed moment. My flash might intrude.
I was positioned at the edge of a crowd (many of whom were taking pictures as well) such that I was crowding the soldier's path. He came on toward me, apparently intending to brush me aside if I didn't move. If my hands had been folded in prayer, he might have moved around me. But with a camera in front of my face, I clearly wasn't a part of the memorial, and he rightly treated me as such.
I backed out of his way and snapped the photo.
Pharisees followed, looking grim. In case you couldn't identify them as such, one wore a Star of David on his breast. Did this symbol exist in biblical times?
The figure of Judas was arresting. He jangled his bag with thirty pieces of silver. He carried a lamp that was not lit. My sister Suzie says that it symbolizes that he has lost the light of the spirit. To me, his expression looked agonized. The man played his difficult role beautifully.
Photos don't begin to capture the sad flavor of this event. This short clip may convey a sense of the dirge-like quality of the procession.
The choir's sad refrain, the sonorous playing of the brass, underscored the solemnity of the moment. This little girl's face echos the feeling perfectly.
Even we photographers and bloggers, scrambling for positions, were moved.
The procession started as people left La Iglesia de San Rafael after attending services. Four burly men carried a statue of Jesus. Not visible in the image is the rope that binds his hands, the end of which is held, I think, by the Roman soldier. The choir in cassocks and cottas sang hymns as they marched.
Gone was the celebratory spirit of Viernes de Dolores. I saw no smiles on the faces of the participants.
Costuming was elaborate. Considerable effort and expense had gone into preparing for this event.
As the Roman soldier marched toward me, I found myself faced with a dilemma. I wanted photographs. The participants wanted a reenactment of a hallowed moment. My flash might intrude.
I was positioned at the edge of a crowd (many of whom were taking pictures as well) such that I was crowding the soldier's path. He came on toward me, apparently intending to brush me aside if I didn't move. If my hands had been folded in prayer, he might have moved around me. But with a camera in front of my face, I clearly wasn't a part of the memorial, and he rightly treated me as such.
I backed out of his way and snapped the photo.
Pharisees followed, looking grim. In case you couldn't identify them as such, one wore a Star of David on his breast. Did this symbol exist in biblical times?
The figure of Judas was arresting. He jangled his bag with thirty pieces of silver. He carried a lamp that was not lit. My sister Suzie says that it symbolizes that he has lost the light of the spirit. To me, his expression looked agonized. The man played his difficult role beautifully.
Photos don't begin to capture the sad flavor of this event. This short clip may convey a sense of the dirge-like quality of the procession.
The choir's sad refrain, the sonorous playing of the brass, underscored the solemnity of the moment. This little girl's face echos the feeling perfectly.
Even we photographers and bloggers, scrambling for positions, were moved.
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