20th of NOVEMBER
One of the main reasons that motivated the breakout of the Mexican Revolution was the long dictatorship of General Porfirio Diaz, during which the Mexican citizens were extremely oppressed. The Revolution of 1910 was not, as the aficionados would have us believe, the result of an anterior administration, but was, in fact, the result of an inadequate and defective political, economical and social organization. Remember that the most notorious upholders of the revolution began to fight amongst themselves too, and this caused great disorientation among the people.
This started a seemingly infinite era of smaller revolutions, squabbles, conspiracies, etc. many more that were caused secondarily by ambition, hate, passion and intolerance. All of this bred a people that were tired of regimens of government that were not doing what they had set out to do. This is what caused a Revolution that cost over one million lives and bloodied the country’s hands for many long years.
The most notable heroes of the Revolution were, the Serdan brothers in Puebla, president Francisco I. Madero, the Flores Magon brothers in San Luis Potosi, Emiliano Zapata and the even more famous Francisco (Pancho) Villa. All of these men and many more fought with the campesinos (peasants or land workers) for land, schools for their children and a better life for all. Many of the men’s wives also joined the battle and these valiant women, often with babies on their backs in rebozos (traditional woven shawls), were called Adelitas.
Each year, they are all remembered with parades in which school children, sports clubs, kindergartens and the Charros will participate. The parade in Ajijic will go down Constitucion and Ocampo, around the Six Corners, up onto Hidalgo and into the Plaza. Once at the Plaza, honor to the flag will be done.
12th of DECEMBER
Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, known as the Queen of Mexico and the Empress of the Americas. This is one of the biggest religious celebrations that take place in this area, as the appearance of the virgin was to Juan Diego, a man of indigenous and humble origins.
One day, as he hurried to mass over the hill of Tepeyac, he heard a voice that called to him. Looking around he saw a young woman with dark skin and a bright light that surrounded her. She asked him to tell the archbishop (whose name was friar Juan de Zumarraga) that he had seen the Virgin of Guadalupe and that she would like a chapel built on the place where he had seen her. He hurried on, and told the archbishop, who, of course, did not believe him and thought that he had gone mad. But after seeing how the young man insisted that it was the truth, he had seen her and spoken to her, the archbishop replied that he must have proof in order to do anything.
The Virgin appeared again and said, “Juan Diego, the most humble of all my children, what has happened to my wish?” to which he replied humbly: “Oh, my lady, they did not believe me and said I must have proof.”
She told him to go to a place and bring back roses, which were not in bloom at that time of year. With blind trust, he went to that place and sure enough, there were the roses. He began to cut roses and soon had many to take back to the apparition. When he showed them to her, she placed her hands on them and told him to take them as proof to the archbishop. He filled his rough tunic with them and happily went off to show them to the archbishop.
When he got to the church, he asked to see the archbishop, who came immediately to see what it was about. When Juan Diego showed him the roses he asked “And where did you get these, my son?” As he dropped them, Juan Diego answered, “They are the proof you asked for.” As the last of the roses fell to the ground, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was imprinted on his tunic.
To this day that tunic is venerated and is framed in the chapel that was constructed on the Virgin’s orders on the hills of Tepeyac. Every year thousands of people go there to celebrate and to ask her for help, or to thank her for help received. We also celebrate this day in the Santuario de la Virgen de Guadalupe that is just past Six Corners, with mariachis, castillos, and a traditional mass.
So, this is the season to celebrate, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
