Pilgrims prepare to ask for shelter during diocesan posadas

Friday, Dec. 05, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — Each year the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City celebrates the Spanish tradition of posadas, a nine-day celebration recreating Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay on their journey to Bethlehem.

Each night of the novena, a different parish in the diocese will host a posada.

“This time of the year always brings a lot of joy and excitement to all my family,” said Maria Jimenez, whose family attends the posada at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, where they are parishioners.

“It’s like a family tradition, and even though my kids are starting to get older they still enjoy coming and hitting the piñatas and getting the churros,” said Jimenez.

 Piñatas – the papier-mâché  stars that are filled with candy, then hit with a stick by blind-folded children to break it open – are used in the posadas as an analogy of the struggle of man against temptation.

The seven points represent the seven deadly sins. The blindfolded person who  hits the piñata represents the faith.

“My great grandma used to tell us that when the piñata is broken it symbolizes the perseverance of the faith,” said Jimenez.

This year the diocesan posadas start Dec. 16 at Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Layton, and conclude on Dec. 23 at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley City and at Saint Ann Parish in Salt Lake City.

The celebration usually consists of a procession with candles in which sometimes children dress as Mary and Joseph, while at other times images of the holy couple are carried. The procession makes its way to the doors of the parish, then a special song is sung in Spanish.  The lyrics are, in part: 

After the doors are opened and everyone is inside, the festivity continues with a  Bible reading or recitation of the rosary and prayers. Then the people are presented with tamales, churros, sweet bread, hot chocolate and other treats; and the kids start gathering in lines for the piñatas.

The schedule for the Diocese of Salt Lake City posadas follows. 

Dec. 16 Saint Rose of Lima, SLC

Dec. 17 St. Andrew, Riverton

Dec. 18 Our Lady of Lourdes, Magna

Dec. 19 Our Lady of Guadalupe, SLC

Dec. 20 The Cathedral of the Madeleine, SLC 

Dec. 21 St. Henry, Brigham City

Dec. 22 Sacred Heart, SLC

Dec. 22 Saint Joseph, Ogden

Dec. 23 Sts. Peter and Paul, SLC West Valley City, and Saint Ann Parish, SLC

For information and times contact the Hispanic Ministry Office, 801-328-8641 ext. 361 or 332.