Bigger and Louder

As we approach the parish Saint's Day, (Aug.15)things are really cranking up. Every evening a procession of parishioners with flags, candles and flowers accompanies the image of the Virgin around the barrio, ending in church for Mass. Tonight there is the procession, then a concert by the Youth Orchestra of Orizaba (they're good.) and then Mass. At the noon liturgy the ruling structure of the parish began it's handover to the new leaders for the following year. The pastor accepted the resignation of the former "mayordomo", then the new one came forward and received the responsability of being in charge of the "Transition of the Virgin". This is the ancient tradition of the Church that Mary, mother of Jesus, fell asleep, and Jesus raised her to heaven by His power so her body did not return to dust and ashes. It's a promise of the future resurrection of all.

The mayordomos are responsable for all the cost and arrangements of celebrations related to their particular area of responsability and there is a mayordomo for an incredible variety of saints, physical areas of the church and grounds, even for the Blessed Sacrament and the chapel thereof.

Before, during and after Mass, the brass village band plays popular and religious songs with a large component of Oompah Oompah, the rockets shoot off in deafening array, and the bells ring in three or four tones with gusto. And mass was graced with the presence of 6 or 8 small angels with lovely white wings of real feathers. They looked amazingly like the little girls we know.