La Buena Vida: November 2011

The word puebleando literally means, town hopping, a quick town visit on our way to a destination. We typically stop at the town square. Here we always find the main church, city hall and some important buildings surrounding the central park. Customarily we stop and learn important information about the town by visiting the government buildings, church and take a few pictures of statues and interesting structures.
After a while we learn to appreciate the pattern , no matter what time of the day or night we arrived at the town, the church always has a gathering of people inside They are mostly poor women, and elderly all prostrated, oppressed into in deep prayer. I have witnessed many of the faithful crawling on their knees towards their patron saint, drop a few coins into a box. They light a candle to their favorite statue or image and begin a mournful lament and prayers. They beseech help and divine intervention to ameliorate their conditions of life. No doubt they are true believers...

Mision San Pedro y San Pablo in Cadereyta

One thing I had never seen, until... I visited the Franciscan mission of San Pedro y San Pablo in Cadereyta, Querétaro México. This opulent structure was begun in 1718 but not completed until 1805. Considering that I have visited a great number of chapels, churches, missions and cathedrals, I am familiar with the strong faith and love Mexican have for their houses of worship. As I walked through this church I found myself face to face with a chapel which its' sole purpose is to inflict pain. It struck me as barbaric. A chapel that instead of a floor, you encounter, at the very entrance, 28 precipitous cement steps. They are about five inches wide and cover the length of the chapel. the steepness is 45 degrees. Explicit directions on how to climb the steps are written on the walls along with bloody pictures of Christ. Upon entering the chapel the believer is to kneel down and begin ascending the steps with out any part of their feet touching the preceding steps, an ordeal for any mortal in good physical shape.

On your knees reach the altar and say the prayer of the blessed one

You may wonder, who would put themselves to this type of assiduous castigation climbing these steps? Mostly elderly women, no doubt as penitence for soliciting, from their god, good health, safety and well being for their children specially those who have gone to find work in el norte.
As I stood facing this chamber of pain, suffering and tears, I wondered if the young, strong priests who had the audacity to have the rules painted on the wall of the chapel ever tried to climb the stairs on their knees? I seriously doubt it.