Capilla de Belén in Antigua Guatemala
If you would like to learn more about the Capilla de Belén from Antigua Guatemala, follow the white rabbit!
Nativity Scene at Capilla de Belén in Antigua Guatemala
This week will have a mini series on Nacimientos, Nativity scenes, a Guatemalan tradition that goes hand in hand with Posadas, the enactment of the search for shelter of Joseph and Mary right before Christmas.
Antigua Churches: Capilla de Belén
Santo Hermano Pedro de San José de Betancourt introduced the Nativity scenes and rituals to the American continent so it is only …
Nacimiento Shrine Niche at Capilla de Belén
One important aspect of this particular Nacimiento is the fact that Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt managed to get himself in the picture of the Nativity shrine. For those who are not well verse in Catholic imagery, myself included, normally the Nativity scene shows Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus along with a few animals. No, Santo Hermano Pedro could not be present there since he was born about 1600 years later, give or take a few moons. Rather, the inclusion of his image, on the right, is to celebrate and to remember that is was Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt who introduced the Nacimiento and Posadas to the American Continent, to La Antigua Guatemala if you want to be precise, and from this old town, this celebration was taken to the rest of the continent.
The Burning of the 13 Baktun Devil in Antigua Guatemala
La Antigua Guatemala is a very small town, heck Guatemala, the country, is just slightly bigger than Antigua Guatemala when it comes …
Burning of the Devil in Antigua Guatemala
La Antigua Guatemala remains as one of the few places where you can meet with hundreds of people willing to Burn the …
Merry Christmas Decorations
Even though you may seem Christmas decorations as early as September in Guatemala, the official Christmas season celebrations begins with the Burning …
The Disappearance of the Burning of the Devil Tradition in Guatemala
Okay, let me break the bad news to you guys. The Burning of the Devil tradition in Guatemala is disappearing. Even though, …
Baby Jesus Inside the Nacimiento
On the December 8th, It was Carmen who said, “Baby Jesus was put in his spot within the Nacimiento after we came back from the Misa de Gallo…” in the comments of the entry about the Nacimiento Shrine Niche at Capilla de Belén. Well, I am glad to know that our fellow readers and visitors are eager to fill in all the details and ephemerides that I leave out (out of ignorance). Follow the link if you would like to learn about Nacimientos tradition in Guatemala.
Stairway to the Mezzanine of Library at Compañía de Jesús Building
One important aspect to highlight about this series about the library is the fact that the guts of the library are contemporary industrial furnishing inside a colonial 16th century building and yet there is harmony between the anachronistic elements.
Façade of Belén Church in Antigua Guatemala
No MarieMcc, this is not the façade of my house. This façade belongs to the Capilla de Belén (Bethlehem Chapel) located right …
Merry Christmas wishes from Antigua Guatemala
Did you know that nacimientos, pesebres or Nativity were first introduced to the American Continent through the city of Antigua Guatemala by …
Enactment of the Guatemalan Nativity Scene
The other day I had the opportunity to make a couple of photos of the Nativity scene enactment or Nacimiento as people …
Guatemalan Nacimiento for Christmas Eve in Antigua
Here’s a simple Nacimiento made from corn husks to celebrate Navidad. As I have described before, with the Feast for the Virgin …
Guatemalan Nacimiento or Nativity Scene
The official date for the commencement of the Christmas season in Guatemala is December 8th, although many malls and commercial centers, imitating …
Christmas’ Eve or Noche Buena in La Antigua Guatemala
Christmas’ Eve or Noche Buena in La Antigua Guatemala is celebrated by staying up all night burning firecracker, eating tamales or turkey and drinking real fruit punch or hot real chocolate, visiting family, friend and neighbors for the respective abrazo de Noche Buena and buenos deseos (Christmas hug and wishes); many even go to midnight mass. At midnight the presents under the Christmas tree, around the nacimiento (nativity scene), are opened and everyone laughs and hugs indiscriminately everyone around. These celebrations rate the highest on nostalgic memory scale; everyone living abroad wishes to be in Guatemala for this season and for this night in particular.