Good Friday in Shelbyville

Living in Ajijic, we were so excited to have unexpected parades come down our street, right outside our front door. Well, Shelbyville is not much different. Late Friday afternoon, we noticed a group of people gathering on the street corner just to the west of us. Our street, Main Street, is a one-way street going east. Then we noticed people in costume begin to arrive, and the priests in their long black frocks. One of them was Father Bill Bowling, the young priest of the parish whom I know from the Centro Latino Board of Directors. There were several men dressed as Roman legionaires, some women dressed in robes as Jewish women of the time. A couple of men were in loin cloths; they apparently were the thieves; and Jesus wore a long white robe. Behind them stretched quite a crowd, mostly Hispanic but not all.

After they all gathered in place, they began the slow processional to the Catholic church, about 1/2 mile from here. Keeping to the left lane, a Shelbyville police car was in front and one at the rear. Father Bill and his assistant led the way, chanting prayers, first in Spanish and then in English. Jesus followed behind, dragging an enormous wooden cross. The Romans simulated beating him by slapping leather whips against the wood.(I was relieved by that.I was pretty sure Bill wouldn't hold with actually beating him as they do in many countries.) At each corner, they appeared to stop for special prayers and enactment before moving on. Traffic continued in the right lane but very slowly. People were slowing to watch and some appeared not to know what to do. Should they stop as if for a funeral?
We watched until we couldn't see them any more a couple of blocks away.

Another Hispanic tradition was featured in the local newspaper this week:

The “alfombra,” made of sawdust and sometimes other organic materials such as flower petals, rice or dried herbs, is a centuries-old tradition from Guatemala. This carpet that takes hours to construct was walked on only once: when John Perez, assistant pastor at Church of the Annunciation, made his way from the sanctuary to the chapel, Thursday night, carrying the Holy Eucharist.

The carpet will be on display until the second Sunday of Easter. Then, as Rev. William Bowling, says “It will be swept away.”

Bowling says the first alfombra in Shelbyville was made in 2002 and has since been an integral part of Easter Holy Week.
fombra.