First Posada Navideña of 2020

Let the nine days of posadas navideñas begin.

Since this morning, December 15th, there have been sightings of Joseph and Mary’s quest for shelter around the streets of Antigua Guatemala. María and José have been walking around Antigua Guatemala, knocking on people’s doors to ask for posada. Our eye-witness photo-reporter has been able to gather the following information regarding the quest for lodging:

Every home has a nativity scene and the hosts of the Posada act as the innkeepers. The neighborhood children and adults are the pilgrims (peregrinos), who have to request lodging by going house to house singing a traditional song about the pilgrims. All the pilgrims carry small lit candles in their hands, and four people carry small statues of Joseph leading a donkey, on which Mary is riding. The head of the procession will have a candle inside a paper lamp shade. At each house, the resident responds by refusing lodging (also in song), until the weary travelers reach the designated site for the party, where Mary and Joseph are finally recognized and allowed to enter. Once the “innkeepers” let them in, the group of guests come into the home and kneel around the Nativity scene to pray (typically, the Rosary)… This according to Mrs. Wikipedia Enciclopedia de Quiensabe.

We will update you with new information as soon as our on-site reporter finishes his ponche and tamales… don’t wait standing. 😉

© 2020, Rudy Giron. All rights reserved.