Show of Faith
Buoyed by court decision, Mexicans celebrate feast of Guadalupe with torch run
By BRIAN CAULFIELD
After winning a court order to conduct a popular religious and cultural event through the streets of New York City, more than 2,000 Mexicans turned out in the predawn hours Dec. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on West 14th Street to honor their patroness and take a step toward making a mark in their adopted country.
Some participants said the Antorcha Guadalupana run, held for the first time last year, is a way for Mexican immigrants to gain acceptance in New York, as the St. Patrick's and Columbus parades have given Irish and Italian newcomers a sense of identity and belonging.
Dressed in white sweatsuits imprinted with images of the Virgin of Guadalupe and waving Mexican flags and signs calling for a general amnesty for undocumented immigrants, participants in the torch relay set off at intervals in parish groups with police escorts to form a chain of runners stretching from Seventh to Third avenues along 14th Street. They jogged to parish churches in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn in imitation of an annual Mexican festival, in which runners carry torches from their hometowns to the shrine of Guadalupe outside Mexico City in time for the feast day. It is an exercise of religious devotion and cultural cohesiveness.
"This represents the biggest holiday in Mexico. We want to keep this going here," said Alfredo Perez, 26, one of 10 brothers and sisters who carried the torch for St. Cecilia's parish in East Harlem.
The torches were blessed by Auxiliary Bishop Patrick J. Sheridan, vicar general, after prayers to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spanish by Mexican Bishop Alejo Zavala of Tlapa Guerrero.
"This is a large expression of the faith of a great people," Bishop Sheridan told CNY. "It is especially good to see so many young people who will carry on this tradition."
Bishop Zavala celebrated Mass that evening in St. Patrick's Cathedral. Mass also was celebrated when runners arrived at the parish churches throughout the city.
The torch run commemorates the appearance of Mary in 1531 to a Mexican peasant, Blessed Juan Diego, and the miraculous appearance on his shawl (tilma) of an image of the Virgin which is still on display in the Guadalupe shrine. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Americas.
Three days before the New York event, the Tepeyac Association, the sponsor, received word that its request for a permit had been denied by the Police Department, which claimed that the torch relay last year was disorganized and disrupted traffic unduly. Brother Joel Magallan, S.J., head of the association, filed a complaint in state Supreme Court Dec. 10 and won a compromise decision when the judge ruled that the event should go on with fewer runners and destinations.
Instead of 1,600 runners going to 26 churches in all five boroughs, Yonkers, White Plains and Newburgh, groups of 120 runners each set off at intervals for six churches in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn. Remaining participants made their way to their churches along the sidewalks or traded places with those on the streets.
Brother Magallan worked closely with police to assure that the runners were
kept to the specified number and sent off in orderly fashion.Before the court decision, he accused the police of discrimination and "a lack of respect and recognition of the religious and cultural practices of Mexican immigrants."
He said the permit was awarded last year after Cardinal O'Connor intervened with the mayor's office. This year, Brother Magallan said, the permit was requested by the association almost a month before the event, and a letter from the Police Department dated Nov. 24 was not mailed until Dec. 8.
He said that last year's torch run "did not create any public disturbances or security problems of any kind."
Brian O'Dwyer, attorney for the Tepeyac Association, told CNY that the group will ask for full participation next year.
"We'll work with the Police Department to ensure a full scale and orderly event," he said.
"We knew the event would go on no matter what because if they did not give us a permit for the streets, we would all walk along the sidewalk," said Father Josu Iriondo, vicar for Hispanic Affairs. "This is an authentic celebration. The people showed that they have the spirit to fight for their rights. Sometimes Mexicans here are afraid to stand up, but this time they are encouraged that the laws can protect all persons."
He said that Mexicans work hard, often for little pay, in jobs that few New Yorkers will take.
"They do so much for New York. It is only right that the city should provide for this celebration," Father Iriondo said.
Father Francis G. Skelly, C.Ss.R., pastor of St. Cecilia's, said, "This is a compromise, but we shouldn't have to compromise."
When he got word that the torch run was on, he held an emergency meeting with Mexicans in the parish to celebrate the victory and to remind them to follow the rules, he said.
"I don't understand why the police would want to stop this," said Dionisio Ordu–o, who came with 200 others from Holy Name parish in Manhattan. "The city lets the KKK march; why not let Our Lady?"
Devotions to Our Lady of Guadalupe began in the chilly predawn darkness on the Third Sunday of Advent, also the Virgin's feast day. The small church on West 14th Street was filled with people praying before a large image of Our Lady of Guadalupe over the altar.
On the sidewalk outside the church, Mexican groups in traditional garb danced and sang ma–anitas, songs to the Blessed Mother asking her to awake and join their celebration. Children were dressed as Juan Diego, with capes adorned with image of the Virgin and loaded down with large bouquets of roses, the flower Mary had asked the peasant to gather in his tilma.
Street vendors offered breakfast fare of hot tamales, tacos and nacho chips and dips. Prayer cards, rosaries, T-shirts, pennants and trinkets of all kinds bore the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
As the runners moved to the starting line chanting, "Viva, Mexico!" Guadalupe de la Cruz, 16, who was with a group of 58 Mexicans from St. Lucy's parish in the Bronx, explained her participation:
"This is my faith. This is my religion. I'm proud to be here."