is show of devotion to
Our Lady of Guadalupe
CHRIS KELLY Benito Hernandez helps carry an icon bearing the likeness of Our Lady of Guadalupe through the streets of Freehold Borough on Dec. 15.
Procession to St. Rose
is show of devotion to
Our Lady of Guadalupe
By clare marie celano
CHRIS KELLY Lending an air of celebration to the procession honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe was Francisco Hernandez, who played with the Coro Manantial band.
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — Bedecked with roses that draped the life-sized golden frame like a trellis, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was carried back home.
The life-sized framed painting of the patron saint of Mexico was carried on a two-tiered platform by four parishioners of St. Rose of Lima’s Hispanic community in a special procession held in her honor on Dec. 15.
Members of the area’s Hispanic community paid homage to the saint on her feast day by walking in a procession behind the icon, while hundreds more people waited for her arrival at St. Rose of Lima Church, McLean Street.
The procession, according to Cecilia Reynolds, a Freehold Township resident who has helped to prepare and arrange festivities for this day for two years, is a "very special event."
Participants in the procession, many dressed in ethnic costume, began their pilgrimage procession from the St. Rose Parish Center on Throckmorton Street then moved on to West Main Street, to McLean and Randolph streets, to their final destination, the church.
Participants began their celebration at 9 a.m. at the parish center with special prayers and by dancing in honor of the occasion.
Members of the community walked along the streets of the town, singing hymns in Spanish to honor the saint, who, Reynolds said, brought Christianity to Mexico.
Colorful costumes, many hand made by residents out of fabric acquired from Mexico, lined the procession route with vivid color.
Parents carried infants wrapped in swaddling blankets to keep away the chill of the cold December air, while others carried or walked tiny toddlers like 2-year-old Edgar Teles, who wore a native costume consisting of beige pants and shirt and a bib with the image of the saint on the front. Edgar also wore a tiny beige straw hat with the brim turned up. And, like an old-fashioned version of today’s "backpack," a little straw basket was draped down his back. Another silk image of the "lady" hung from the tiny basket.
Little girls with colorful shirts and skirts that swung and twirled as they moved and danced also sported colorful hair ribbons and decorations.
The framed icon led the procession as police officers joined the celebrants and directed traffic while ensuring everyone’s safety.
Police Chief Michael Beierschmitt, Patrolman Craig Dispenza and new Patrolwoman Maribel Mora were also in attendance. Mora, who is the first full-time female officer in the borough and the first bilingual officer in town, spent her first day as a police officer monitoring and enjoying the festivities of her own heritage.
The Coro Manantial band, directed by Francisco Hernandez, honored the saint with the lovely sounds of their guitars and accordions. Dressed in dress black pants with silver and gold threaded trim and white shirts with a red tie draped with fringe, the musicians honored both the saint and their homeland. Black sombreros lined with golden trim completed their outfits.
Members of the procession carried flags representing the Latin American country of their origin, while the United States flag held center stage.
Also represented at the event were members of the St. Rose of Lima Knights of Columbus Freehold Council 1672.
The Rev. Richard Milewski and the Rev. Roman Modino, pastor to the Hispanic community and both of St. Rose of Lima, walked in the procession as well.
In addition to honoring the saint, the procession also paid tribute to Juan Diego, who was recently canonized a saint by Pope John Paul II at the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City.
After reaching the church, the icon was placed on the altar to the sounds of loud applause from the crowd of people who filled the church to capacity.
Hymns of praise were sung while church members brought gifts to the saint and placed them on the altar surrounding her. Baskets of fruit and vegetables, bread and wine, even a sombrero, were all offered as gifts to honor the saint and show the devotion of her followers.
According to Reynolds, the life-sized icon was purchased last year from Mexico.
"Everyone is so happy that we have her with us now," Reynolds said, adding that the $2,500 framed painting was purchased under the leadership of the Rev. George Berrios, the previous religious leader of the borough’s Hispanic community.
After the mass was celebrated, the procession returned to the parish center where a party was held to honor the saint.
Reynolds explained the history of the devotion to the saint by the Mexican people.
"Hundreds of years ago there was no deity in Mexico. People were still sacrificing humans," she said. "Missionary priests came from Spain to try to get people to convert to Christianity but with no success."
Reynolds explained that Bishop Juan Cummaraga, a missionary priest, prayed to the Madonna for a miracle to appear so that people would believe in her. She said the bishop asked the Madonna to send a Rosa de Castilla, a special rose grown in Spain, as positive proof of her existence. She said the soil of Mexico City was not conducive to growing roses.
The Madonna is said to have appeared to a villager named Juan Diego three times on Dec. 9, 10 and 12. Diego had himself previously converted to Christianity on his own. Reynolds said the Madonna appeared to Diego with dark hair and dark skin, not like the traditional European version of the Madonna holding the baby Jesus, but rather in the likeness of those to whom she was appearing. She also spoke to Diego in his native language.
Initially, no one believed that he had seen her so he told the "lady" he needed proof.
Reynolds explained that the Madonna’s last appearance included the presentation of roses and an image of herself imprinted on Diego’s tilma (a type of outer garment). Reynolds said the Madonna told Diego that she wanted the bishop to build a shrine right on the site of her appearance in Mexico City and that she would help the people to believe in her.
Today three shrines have been built on the site where the Madonna is said to have appeared to Diego.
When the procession returned to the parish center, the icon of the lady was placed on a handmade shrine surrounded by tiny red and white lights. Reynolds said local families all participated in the creation of the shrine, which was made of dark gray tissue paper painted to resemble rocks.
Red, white and green "flags" decorated with stencils of the saint, imported from Mexico, trimmed the ceilings and walls, much like crepe paper.
Trays of steaming hot food like chicken, rice and beans, cold tostados (a crispy tortilla loaded with black beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese and salsa) lined long tables. Prepared by local families, the food was served to the crowd of participants while music played by the Coro Manantial band made for a lovely culmination to a wonderful day of celebration. Packed to capacity, everyone seemed to enjoy the event.
Paola Quintero of Ewing travels to Freehold every day to her job at the newspaper Nosotros. Born in Colombia, Quin-tero said she is happy to be involved with Freehold’s Hispanic community.
"I’ve seen other processions for Our Lady of Guadalupe, but nothing like this. It is so wonderful to see all these people. The faith here is so incredible," Quintero said, adding that she has learned so much about Mexican culture from working in this community with Reynolds.
The procession and the day’s festivities are due to the efforts of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Procession Committee, according to Reynolds. Besides herself, committee members include Josefina Galvez, Antonio Hurta, Lourdes Colon and Jorge Dejado.
Reynolds spent much of her life in Mexico and said she is very proud of her heritage. She added that she is very happy and considers herself very blessed to be enjoying life in the United States.
"This is the first time I have lived among so many of my people in the United States," Reynolds said. "I feel so at home here now. It’s wonderful. I feel like I am home, yet also have the advantage of living in this wonderful country."
Reynolds thanked Beierschmitt and the police department for being "so supportive of our community" over the years and Pastor Rich for his support as well.