Holy Friday 2022

After two years, the Holy Friday parade returns at Puebla. A train restarted in 1992, and the University of UPAEPis the one that dedicates the logistics to bringing the parade. 

The university is setting the effort because it has a catholic identity. To promote and venerate one of the busiest weeks of the year, the university promotes the parade by inviting other communities from Puebla.

They stopped doing it for so long because the parade was influential in the XIX century, but the train stopped with reforms taking power from the government. After many years the parade started again in 1992.

It began as a memory with the five states that represent the walk to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Who are the main characters?

The main participants are the statues from the fifth church and the community. After doing it for 30th years, the parade is a tradition and, for the whole state, is something that in the holy week represents that week.

There is a link on my blog about the holy parade without the pandemia experience documenting the parade. In the event, I wasn’t able to move around just being part of observant. In this parade, I have the chance to move and walk around the whole parade.

Here is the link: https://joshuaexposures.com/blog/traditions-of-puebla/

 

Two holy statues were invited to this year’s parade Santo Nino Doctor from the region of Tepeaca (Holy Kid Doctor) and Jesus de la Misericordia (Jesus of Compassion).

The event starts early in the morning, around 11 am. People sit on the streets and wait patiently for the statues to pass. All gather around the yard of the cathedral of Puebla and remain there for all to start the parade.

The walk is two and a half kilometers leaving the cathedral and arriving at the same place.

They congregate many people from the temples, and the public gets together to show respect on the streets where the statues passed. The joy and happiness are in the faces of the people waiting for the sculptures that give.

Others carry small figures of the statutes they have faith in, and you can feel their happiness when the statue passes near them.

People went to see the statues with devotion and with joy. People of all ages were there to be with the faith they had.

To capture how people are devoted to the figures is something they haven’t seen in other places, and people, two years without participating in the parade, is emotional for the people that pray to the statues.

Devotion from all ages.

People there were also motivated to pay a favor. To show their devotion and if they can’t walk with the statue, they carry a petite figure, and with that, they are paying tribute to it.

They had some candies, and others had small rosary to give to others because they wanted to share that the statue gave them what they asked for and on this day.

To be able to do this, they have to prepare for a whole year. Also, the participation comes from all ages carrying the statue (not for the children, they have another task to perform), the weakest or the smaller like children carry musical instruments or flags. However, they all participate in a certain way without taking the statues.

Only one statue has to be carried by women, the Virgin of Carmen. What impresses me is that they take without hesitation and hold it during the whole parade.

Not all the time they carry, they change turns also is vital; the extreme effort they put into carrying is immense.

All that participate in carrying any statue coordinate with the whole group because if they lose a member or break formation, the accident can be irreparable for participants or damage the figures, which will not be good.

Celebrate Responsibly.

There are some points to consider if you want to be here. 

This year it was more with caution, obviously, because of the virus we as humans are still working on eradicating, so many wear face masks, and the distance there were no restrictions on keeping their distance.

People were happy to be able to experience the parade once again with some protocols, but they were delighted to be able to participate in the procession.

Besides, there were many people. Some got prepared and carried some chairs and umbrellas to cover from the sun.

The university creates an excellent ambient for the people devoted to the statues and the holy week. It is something that many appreciate and loves to wait for this season.

Conclusion.

Each time I have been in the parade as an observant and as a photographer, there are always different people devoted to the statues, and we can move mountains if we are determined to do it.

The love for our faith is a motor to good things.