The pilgrimage

Dr. Lupita visited John several times on Saturday but was reluctant to release him until he had donated an appropriate sample for analysis. After being overworked, his colon refused to cooperate. I spent the day with him, waiting for action.

Around 3:00 I looked down from his window to see three people arrive with large colourful masks.

By 4:00pm, there was a much larger group ranging in age from 3 years to about 50 years of age.

I was really intrigued and decided that it was time to get a closer look. They weren't masks. Instead they were head dresses. The animal heads would rest on top of the performers' heads.

I knew that they were going to take part in a pilgrimage to the Cathedral but no one seemed to know what time they would depart. For centuries the Virgin of Guadalupe has been venerated by Mexicans and during the first 12 days of December many pilgrimages are made to Our Lady of Guadalupe parish.

When Dr. Lupita visited John again at 5pm she explained that it was the Hospital's pilgrimage that would take place at 6pm. She invited me to join the group. I was hesitant but learned that others who were not hospital employees would be walking with the group so I thought "why not"!?

Young members of the performing group were trying to attach their backpacks to the police ATV before putting on their head dresses.

The hospital staff was assembled behind an ambulance. We were each handed a candle, carnations and song sheets before being given directions to "dod y dos"...pair up! It wasn't likely that I would have a willing partner so I stayed with a mother and daughter pair.

The scene inside the ambulance ensured that all bases were covered. Children were dressed as a nurse, doctor, patient, angel and the virgin herself!! During the 45 minute walk to the Cathedral, the little angel never dropped her praying hands!!

My walking partners were lovely. Mother and grandmother were equally in love with the gorgeous child they carried. Closer to the Cathedral street vendors sold Mexican snacks and hundreds of people had gathered in the hopes of watching pilgrimages as they arrived. Every two blocks along the way, the performers with animal head dresses stopped to dance and play music. Traffic was halted for us at every intersection. The Cathedral bells rang as we entered and a priest sprinkled holy water on the participants.

The largest pilgrimage will be on December 11th as a tribute to the disadvantaged and to lost children. It is scheduled for around noon so I hope to be there for some photos.

My only regret was that I couldn't leave the procession to run ahead and photograph the masked  performers. It would have been rude. I returned to the hospital to find that John's situation had not changed. He would spend another night in Suite 3 at Hopital Med Assist.