Domingo de Ramos - Palm Sunday to the rest of you!

Domingo de Ramos or Palm Sunday came and went. The air was full of Catholic Fervor in Ayacucho. It was the first BIG processional of the 9 day (yes 9) Semana Santa Week here in the Andes Mountains. So there was a mass in the morning as the imagen de Christo - Senor de Ramos arrived at the Monastery Santa Teresa just below my house in Carmen Alto. He has real hair and flashes what looks almost like a peace sign, but that is just one gringa's interpretation. You tell me. He is made of wood, I think, and lives in the Main Cathedral all year in Plaza de Armas, except this Sunday.

At about 4 p.m. the throngs of people began to line the streets near the Cathedral and all the way to the Plaza de Armas or the Center of town. YES they all had palm branches too. Their's were shaped and woven into these intricate designs.

The procession was preceded by a large processional of donkeys (every other day they are burros), which for biblical purposes here they call pollinos, and other Andean animals like llamas and traditional Peruvian Paseo Ponies or horses. They are high stepping and have a unique gait, that is all I know. Who knew llamas were leading Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This procession of animals and people decked out in traditional Huamangina wear (or dress) before the imagen is called a Chamiso.

Paco (my host dad) and I started out at the Monasterio Santa Teresa, then we joined the throng (SUPER FUN!! I must recommend) and processed our way toward the plaza, romping in about 3 inches of cut flowers laid in the street. Then we took a short cut to beat the processional to the Plaza de Armas, where it would cricle and then enter the Cathedral for an evening mass. When we cut off the processional must have gotten clogged becasue we mulled around the Plaza for at least thirty minutes to an hour before it arrived lead by another throng of Catholic faithful waving their palms proudly and some dude on a mic saying "Christo Vive, and the throng would raise their palms and shout back "VIVE!" AWESOME with a capital A, because I was there smack in the middle, whereelse would you expect me to be?

So the imagen de Senor de Ramos was lead by the Sacerdotes or the priests in all their ritual vestments and the alter boys. That circle of people were surrounded by the PNP or national police; some in special forces gear and others in their dress uniforms. Kind of makes you chuckle if you could have seen it. They had more protection than the governor who was riding a horse, then walking.

I keep using the word Catholic very heavily here. Protestants do not usually take part in all of this. I was glad though that Pastor David Luyo's sermon at the Presbyterian Church (El Arco) today was on Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Atleast there was some recognition. I am getting the impression, after 8 months, that there is a fear of being or appearing Catholic, and vice versa of appearing Protestant or evangelico here in Ayacucho. Some of the Evangelicos feel like Semana Santa has become just another reason for people to drink here in Ayacucho. Some even call it Semana Trunca for that reason. After participating today I disagree. There were throngs of faithful people practicing and celebrating their faith. The only thing I am left reflecting on now is how heavily and heartily these folks that walked beside me "Were they putting their faith in the imagen del Senor de Ramos or in Christ himself...?"