![]() The wooden statue portrays Christ with a dark, heavy beard and long, flowing locks of ebony hair. Together, everyone tours the city.Įvery step of this procession is a reminder of Christ’s path to Calvary. A literal sea of people follow him but are prevented from approaching by a cordon of police in their bright yellow green vests. His feet, already bedecked by roses, are gifted even more along the parade route. His pilgrimage through the streets of Quito begins. And at last, after hundreds of people have exited the church door, Jesús del Gran Poder appears, held aloft by members of the Culto del Jesús del Gran Poder. The statues are accompanied by members of the church and people along the parade route toss rose petals and long stemmed flowers in their path. Verónicas outside the Iglesía San Francisco, Historic Center, Quito, EcuadorĪfter the Verónicas come wooden statues of sainted figures, including San Juan Bautista and the Virgin Mary, each receiving the pomp and circumstance of a head of state. The story says that Verónica used her veil to wipe the sweaty brow of Jesus and his is image later appeared on the cloth.Ĭucuruchos outside the Iglesía San Francisco, Historic Center, Quito, Ecuador The origin of Verónica comes a story that never made the Bible. Towards the end are the Verónicas, women dressed in purple dresses with purple veils. Several different versions of Christ carrying the cross, accompanied by Roman Soldiers, also join the procession. Hundreds of penitents, most dressed in dark purple robes with coned hoods and therefore called Cucuruchos, exit the church first, many holding images of the Crucifixion or cradling small dolls meant to represent the baby Jesus. The procession begins and ends at the entrance to one of the oldest churches in Quito, the Iglesía del San Francisco, which is also home to Jesús del Gran Poder. This year, one Christ fell to the ground unable to continue and found himself tied to the cross and carried atop the backs of his fellow parishioners. Many accept help from fellow penitents and several carry the cross together. Upon the return, the small pillow meant to help support the weight of the cross no longer helps protect sore shoulders, despite shifting the cross from side to side. The most difficult passage is for those who attempt to shoulder Christ’s cross. Many of the penitents walk the route barefoot, some dragging heavy metal chains, others carrying heavy loads. The entire route is approximately 5 kilometers long. As it passes, many of the watchers will join the procession from behind and complete the route that goes by the Plaza Grande, the Antiguo Círculo Militar, and continues up, passing the park in front of the Basilica del Voto Nacional, until it reaches José Riofrio where the procession will return to Plaza San Francisco via Venezuela, passing once again the Basílica and then the Palacio de Carondelet before reaching the steps of the church. The entire path is lined with people waiting to see it. This aged statue travels about 55 city blocks every year. He took the old, dusty statue and gave it new life and, in turn, Jesus del Gran Poder brought new followers to the church, both literally and figuratively. It began in 1961 when the Franciscan Priest, Francisco Fernández, searched for a single image that would help his congregation connect to their faith and found it waiting in a storage room of the Iglesía San Francisco. And although the statue itself is very old, the procession is relatively new. In Quito, Ecuador, Jesús del Gran Poder refers to a wooden sculpture from the 17th century that has become a symbol of faith to thousands of Quiteños, many of whom have accompanied the figure year after year during the grand procession that takes place on Good Friday in the historic center. ![]()
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