Day 2: A Virgin a Day
One of the virgin images found in Guanajuato, Mexico is that of Our Lady of Guanajuato, patron saint of the city. Her statue resides in the basilica built between 1671 and 1696. This antique figure was a gift from King Charles I of Spain and his son, Phillip II of Spain during the colonial period. Image © 2010 Meri Arnett-Kremian It is thought to be the earliest piece of European religious art to arrive in the New World. Each year on August 9, there is a ceremony commemorating the statue's arrival in Guanajuato in 1557. The statue is placed on a huge, lavishly decorated lighted bier for closer inspection. A special Mass and Rosary are said. Then men of the parish carry the statue outside for waiting throngs to see. Hymns are written for the ceremony and Aztec dancers perform. In the evening there are three hours of prayer, music and general adoration, culminating in a fireworks display. The next day an embroidered velvet mantilla is draped on ...