A tradition of faith

Latino community celebrates Christmas with Posadas

MOSES LAKE — They are the most emotionally charged nine days of the calendar for Catholics in and from Mexico.

For nine days up until midnight on December 24, Mexicans at home and in the U.S. gather around in homes and churches to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, in a tradition known as Las Posadas.

Las Posadas, loosely translated as "the shelters" or "the inns," consists of daily homages to Joseph and Mary and their desire to seek shelter to give birth to the baby Jesus. These tributes take place through dramatizations, songs, prayers and more than a few pi-atas.

Every evening, those gathered at churches and homes pray the rosary, sing hymns and then play the parts of Mary and Joseph being rejected and then accepted in their request for shelter.

It is also a social occasion, as people of all ages are asked to participate in the dramatization, the singing and the prayers. This includes children, hence the pi-atas.

All this concludes at midnight on the 24th of December, the ninth day. Usually the person playing Mary cradles a baby in her arms and the lights at the place go on, signaling that the darkness has ended thanks to the birth of Jesus.

This year's Posadas in Moses Lake took place at the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and concluded on Dec. 24 with the traditional "Misa del Gallo," (Rooster's Mass), celebrated at midnight by Father Alejandro Trejo.

During the Mass, named after the historic Catholic tradition of celebrating predawn Masses before Christmas, Trejo said that the birth of Jesus is a time to be united and share not just presents but our affection towards other people.

"We need to show (people) that we loved them," he said. "Maybe we did not have much, but we did have plenty of affection that way."

The roots of Las Posadas grow deep in the history of Mexico, although Catholics in other nations have their own versions. Filipino Catholics call it Simbang Gabi or "night worship,” while other countries call it the Novena, "the ninth," in reference to its length in days.

In Mexico, it was used by the Spaniards to catechize the indigenous peoples, said Trejo, who added that this catechism was used as a way to tell them that Jesus was seeking shelter in their hearts.

Even in times where religious demonstrations were forbidden, Mexicans have continued their tradition, Trejo said, with Posadas taking place inside people's homes.

Today, Mexicans in the Columbia Basin feel a bit more like at home when Las Posadas are going on.

"When I see a Posada, I think of my land and I think I am at my home," said Trejo, a native of Mexico City.

Similar feelings are shared by those who are not from Mexico but who have found a home among the Latino community in the Basin.

Angel Hernandez, a native of Puerto Rico, said that in his homeland, the tradition is called "Misa de Aguinaldo," which is a word that is synonym of gift.

"It's different, but it's pretty every night," he said of Las Posadas.