Happy Easter!!!
This was my first Easter in Mexico. There were enough differences that I can write a blog post about it. In general, in the US for the weeks leading up to Easter there's a lot of springlike type decorations in the stores and lots of Easter candy, but not so much here. But Holy Week was a lot more celebrated here than in the US.
Holy Thursday Pancho and I went to Mass and it was crowded. We weren't late, but had to sit outside. It was packed. It's pretty well packed in the US too, so there wasn't much difference there.
Friday was interesting. We went to Stations of the Cross in the morning. I assumed that it would be an hour. It was 2 1/2 hours. It was a procession through the neighborhood with designated houses as the stations. Afterwards was Veneration of the Cross. But that was it, just Veneration. There wasn't a 3 o'clock service. Everywhere in the States there's the 3 o'clock Veneration. We went back to the Church in the evening where there was Veneration again and the "Consoling of Mary." It's pretty much the same as the 3 o'clock service in the US. But different name and different time. And it was 2 hours.
Saturday I definitely missed being in Orlando. In Orlando I would go to the rosary procession to the abortion clinic to pray. It was always really good to go to that. Saturday night Pancho and I went to the Easter Vigil Mass. It was 3 hours long, which I expected considering that they're usually 2 1/2 hours long in the states. But the difference was that the Vigil Mass here is super attended. There's usually a good number of people at the Vigil in the US, but it's late at night and long and it's not the popular Mass. The popular Mass is the Sunday morning. But the Easter Vigil Mass is my favorite, so I try to go to that every year. I was determined Pancho and I would get there early for seats. We got there early and had to sit outside. It was super packed 15 minutes before the Mass. And you had to buy a candle... but now I have one for next year. And there weren't any new Catholics either. I suppose that because most Mexicans are Catholics and they receive Baptism when they're babies, there aren't many adults that go through RCIA here and receive their sacraments at the Easter Vigil. I missed that part, I always liked it a lot.
Then there's the parties and the fireworks, but Pancho and I went home. Holy Week is definitely very celebrated here. But I do have to say I'm a little sad that Mexico hasn't adopted many of the Easter candies, like Robins Eggs and Cadbury Creme Eggs and Peeps. But my parent's are bring some Cadbury Eggs when they come to visit Mexico, so it's not that bad. :)
Overall, Pancho and I have been having a good Easter so far and are looking forward to continuing to celebrate it for the next 49 days. We hope you all have a happy Easter too!
