Yesterday David, Karen, and I went to Almolonga and Zunil, two towns just outside of Xela. Almolonga is known for its fruit market, but the best thing we saw there was its Catholic Church. Apparently the town is now overwhelmingly Evangelical, but Almolonga is still home to a 400-year old Catholic church dedicated to San Pedro. We walked inside the church and the caretaker asked us if we wanted him to put the lights on in the front. We were thinking that it was just so we could take a picture of the alter and all, but he was a bit insistent so we were like okay, thanks. He goes to the back and all of a sudden in the front of the church above the alter (appologies if I am using my church terminology incorrectly) big neon letters reading ¨San Pedro 400 años¨light up. Then he hits another switch and around each of the saints a neon boarder appears. Every day is a suprise. I didn´t have my camera, but Karen took a photo, which I will post when she sends it to me.
After Almolonga, we took the bus to Zunil where we saw the Mayan (Mayan/Catholic syncratic) idol to San Simon (Maximon). There´s a few areas, one of them being Zunil, where this Saint has a strong following. From wikipedia, San Simon ¨is associated with the subterranean force of masculine fertility and prostitution. Always depicted in black, he wears a black hat and sits on a chair, often with a cigar placed in his mouth and a gun in his hand, with offerings of tobacco, alcohol, and Coca-cola at his feet. ¨ Outside of the little room with the idol, they have three fires going where they burn offerings. The location of the idol changes every year so you have to ask people for directions when you get to the town. It certainly wasn´t obvious, but we managed to find it without too much trouble.
I got this photo from
http://latinamericanadventure.blogspot.com/2008/08/san-simon-zunil.htm
After Almolonga, we took the bus to Zunil where we saw the Mayan (Mayan/Catholic syncratic) idol to San Simon (Maximon). There´s a few areas, one of them being Zunil, where this Saint has a strong following. From wikipedia, San Simon ¨is associated with the subterranean force of masculine fertility and prostitution. Always depicted in black, he wears a black hat and sits on a chair, often with a cigar placed in his mouth and a gun in his hand, with offerings of tobacco, alcohol, and Coca-cola at his feet. ¨ Outside of the little room with the idol, they have three fires going where they burn offerings. The location of the idol changes every year so you have to ask people for directions when you get to the town. It certainly wasn´t obvious, but we managed to find it without too much trouble.
1 comment:
I am so interested in what you're posting. I love learning about these saints and traditions Quite a church!
Love,
barbara
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