Lewis the Lion seemed to be in the right place at the right time for experiencing so many cultural experiences. None more so than over the Easter period. Argentina is a Catholic country and as he was right in the heart of the capital city, he was bound to see some Easter celebrations.
First of all, just down the road from where Lewis was living, in the Plaza de Mayo, was the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires and it hosted some very impressive ceremonies over the Easter period. To start with, Lewis took part in the special mass on Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. When he entered the Cathedral, he was given a bunch of olive branches which would be used during the holy mass. The service started at the back of the Cathedral where a big statue of Jesus on a donkey was carried slowly down the aisle of the church by a group of scouts.
The congregation held their olive branches aloft, re-enacting the scene of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, being hailed as king of kings. Peoples’ olive branches were then blessed with holy water. The statue, meanwhile, was placed on the altar for the remainder of the mass. It was an impressive introduction to the celebration of mass.
The next week was Holy Week and there were signs around the city reminding passers-by.
Whether you are Christian or not, you couldn’t help but be impressed by the scene that happened right outside Lewis the Lion’s hostel on Good Friday, 6th April 2012. (See the view from his balcony).
Thousands of people had gathered together at the top of Avenida de Mayo, not far from The Congress building to take part in a special re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross – Via Crucis.
This is when Christians remember the stages in the last journey that Jesus took up to his crucifixion and death. It is therefore quite a sombre ceremony and is greeted with great prayer and reference. This particular Stations of the Cross was special because it took place on the street, processing down to the Cathedral in Plaza de Mayo. It was evening (8:30 pm) and so to lighten the way, the crowds were given more than 20,000 candles for free.
The mood of the evening was further enhanced by a choir and musicians who helped to lead the hymns and prayer.
However, what made this event all the more eye-catching for the onlookers was that actors represented the 14 Stations of the Cross and at the front of the procession was a 1.8 m wood carving, the ‘Good Love Christ,’ followed by a float with the image of ‘Virgen Dolorosa.’
Naturally, for such a big procession, this main Buenos Aires street was closed off to traffic for an hour and a half. Who would have thought that such a busy city like Buenos Aires would come to a standstill in prayer? Lewis the Lion thought that is seemed like a very reverent and spiritual event to have observed.
However, after the reverence of the crowds on Good Friday came the celebration of Easter Sunday when Christians remember how Jesus rose from the dead. Lewis the Lion was lucky this time to attend the Cathedral where the Bishop was concelebrating holy mass with some other priests.
In the Cathedral is an enormous organ and choir-loft and the ceremony was a very joyous occasion.
Following the mass, Lewis the Lion noticed that celebrating Easter in South America didn’t seem so different from celebrating Easter at home as it was now a time for chocolate eggs!
There were specialist chocolate shops which had the signs in their windows – ‘Felices Pascuas’ – ‘Happy Easter’ next to enormous eggs and animals made entirely of chocolate! Some of the chocolate bars Lewis the Lion recognised from home and some of it had an extra special Latin American ingredient: dulce de leche – like a caramel sauce.
Some of Lewis the Lion’s friends even had an Easter Egg hunt back in the hostel!
Which events during the year do you celebrate with your family and friends?
What part do you like the most and why?