The patron saint for Ixtapaluca is El Señor de los Milagros, or The Lord of Miracles in English. Apparently the tradition goes back some 100 years. The image of Christ that is paraded around looks remarkably like the image that a region in Peru uses, by the same name.
Yesterday was marked with rockets going off into the air and exploding almost constantly, with periodic parades with hundreds of people blocking major and minor roadways, and with stretches of roads decorated with colored sawdust, in ornate designs, most of which only lasted half a day or so before the road was reopened for traffic.
This celebration prompts several questions. The large, 6-ft. crucifix that is carried around looks like Christ on the cross…and apparently people are encouraged to touch the image, because this particular Christ on the cross has been know to heal people, thus the “miracle” aspect. So for a few days each year, this image is let out of its cage and paraded around the neighborhood–and worshiped.
It’s a bit mind-warping, to be honest. How it is possible that the person and nature of Christ has been distorted to such a degree? How has the Creator been turned into the creation? How can idolatry by so bold, so complete, so blasphemous?
Quote of the Day: Here Paul identifies only two possible kinds of worship: worship of creation or worship of the Creator. One or Two, Peter Jones, p. 18
i didnt see this! But i saw a giant mary being carried around. And this morning Tiff and I saw the gaint cross being paraded around again.