Pop Goes the Clearing
An Easter tradition that blows people away
Holy Week is a big deal here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Beautiful purple and white paper flags and flower decorations — which seem to sprout overnight — hold a space for the somber processions that wind through city streets on Good Friday, the quiet vigil that blankets the city on Saturday, and the wild and festive blowout that turns the city inside out on Sunday.
Did I say blowout?
I did! And it’s no exaggeration.
What happens in San Miguel on Easter Sunday is like nothing I’ve ever seen anywhere else.
I’ll let the photos I made in 2017 and the accompanying text (that I found online) tell the story below…
Firing of the Judases
Photos by Stephanie Bennett Vogt
Text courtesy of DiscoverSMA.com
“The most light-hearted event of Holy Week takes place at noon of Easter Sunday in San Miguel. Big, brightly colored six-foot-high figures of papier mâché are strung on ropes across [one of San Miguel’s main streets]. Although they are meant to represent the hated betrayer of Christ, Judas Iscariot, nowadays they are more comical characters and effigies of unpopular politicians and other authority figures. As many as two dozen of them will be strung on the ropes.
Fireworks are wrapped around the waists of these hapless fellows… The fuses are lit and the fireworks begin to pop, setting each other off in a chain reaction. As they explode, the figures seem to be dancing...
With a great bang a Judas explodes, then another and another. Arms and legs go flying in every direction.
Kids (and adults, too) scramble on the cobblestones to pick up the pieces, like children grabbing at the candies that fall from a piñata. It’s a point of pride to go home with a papier mâché arm, a leg, or—if you are quick and really lucky—a ghoulishly disembodied head.
The tradition of the Judases goes back to colonial times, brought to the New World by the priests from Spain to teach the people about Judas’ betrayal of Christ. They were meant to give quite visible and tangible proof that you never really get away with that sort of bad behavior. There are consequences.
But this is Mexico, and no one wants to be serious today. So once mass is over, Easter in San Miguel is for fun, family and food.”
While I don’t believe that blowing up effigies of people is a recipe for a happier life, I’m all for letting these paper mâché figures represent all the things and limiting beliefs we’re ready to release once and for all.
(Though I would probably favor a lighter and gentler touch for releasing them.)
What would a big clearing look like for you?
Ahhh 💜
In case you missed it…
I agree Stephanie, I wouldn’t like the idea of blowing up arms and legs. But I love the beauty of tradition and flags bursting forth and fun.
I even call my recent sweeping out of our newly remodeled barn as clearing and making way for the new!