By
Kiwilimón - 2018-10-08T17:08:20.618441Z
Enter, holy pilgrims, pilgrims, receive this corner. And although the dwelling is poor, the dwelling, I give it to you from the heart...
How many times have we sung these verses? Without a doubt, a good part of our childhood was spent between shepherd plays and posadas, but have you ever stopped to think about why we celebrate these festivities?
Here we tell you.
The origin of the posadas lies in the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary who, according to Christian tradition, walked from Nazareth to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus.
The journey to Bethlehem lasted a long nine days, and upon arriving at their destination, they had to welcome the baby in a stable, as they were not given shelter anywhere else.
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In the 16th century, the Spaniards began a conversion process for the indigenous people to follow the Catholic tradition. To make it easier for the indigenous people to abandon their pagan celebrations, the priests held fun and very colorful parties.
With the aim of replacing the festivities for the gods Quetzalcoatl and Huitzilopochtli – which were organized around the winter solstice – the missionaries began to prepare their own parties on the same dates.
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It is believed that in 1587, Fray Diego de Soria, superior of the San Agustín convent in Acolman, State of Mexico, obtained permission from Pope Sixtus V to celebrate "aguinaldo" masses for nine days, prior to December 25.
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In these masses, biblical passages referring to the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary were interspersed with prayers, songs, and representations of these events.
During these celebrations, it was common to break a piñata made of clay. The peaks of the piñata represented the 7 deadly sins, and hitting it blindfolded symbolized the act of faith in religion.
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Credit: romerogiorgio
When these festivities ended, the priests distributed fruits and sweets among the attendees.
Over time, these celebrations reached homes, and today, it is the families themselves who organize them.
Although the meaning of these festivities may have changed over time, the posadas are an excellent opportunity to give thanks and celebrate with family and friends.
Prepare your posada with these delicious recipes:
