Friday, December 23, Troy and I had the privilege of witnessing an unusual and typically Ecuadorian celebration called the Pase del Nino Viajero. The celebration began 60 years ago when a wealthy family commissioned an Italian artist to carve a statue of the Infant Jesus. The Priest who collected the Image traveled extensively with it before returning to Cuenca. The Statue was welcomed home and referred to as the Traveling Child. Every year the Sagrada Imagen is brought from the Saturio Mariano where it has spent most of the year and makes another ceremonial journey. This journey is a highly military one. The Image is dressed in a military uniform, guarded by lancers and the horsemen, personally carried by a three star general. Over a period of about three hours, the image leaves the Saturio Mariano, visits a monastery, is the center piece of a vesper service at the New Cathedral, is carried across the park and finally comes to rest at the Old Cathedral. The whole concept was strangely wonderful to Troy and me. There was no political correctness. Close ties to the Church and Military. Black face clowns dancing down the aisle of the church with their arms full of flowers. Cowboys with whips. Men and women joyously singing and dancing as they brought traditional gifts to the altar. There would be protests aplenty in the USA. We can hardly wait to see what Christmas Eve brings. We will be attending a Rooster Mass.
Feliz Navidad,
Sally
