Immigrants in Indiana - Mexico: Christian Holidays

• Palm Sunday – Domingo de Ramo (7 days before Easter) - The day is the start of the important Easter celebrations that will go on throughout the week and culminate around Good Friday (Viernes Santo) and Easter Sunday (Domingo de Pascua). Palm Sunday commemorates the day that Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey to be greeted by palms covering his path and followers waving palm leaves triumphantly in his wake.
• Maundy Thursday – Jueves Santo (Varies each year) - The Thursday of Holy Week in Mexico is known as Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. This day commemorates the Last Supper shared by Jesus with his disciples, the washing of the feet of the apostles, Jesus’ betrayal by Judas, and the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane. For Maundy Thursday, some Mexican traditions include various foot-washing ceremonies and, Mass with Holy Communion.
• Good Friday – Viernes Santo (Varies each year) - Commemorates the trial, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus. Silent processions are held in city streets.
• Holy Saturday – Sábado Santo (Varies each year) - Commemorates the day in which Jesus rested in the grave. Some communities celebrate by burning paper maché effigies of Judas.
• Easter Sunday – Domingo de Pascua (Varies each year) - Commemorates the resurrection of Jesus.

Día de la Ascensión (Varies each year) - According to the New Testament in the Bible, Jesus Christ met several times with his disciples during the 40 days after his resurrection to instruct them on how to carry out his teachings. It is believed that on the 40th day he took them to the Mount of Olives, where they watched as he physically ascended to heaven.

Día de la Asunción de María (15th of August) - Celebrates Jesus's mother's arrival into Heaven.  It is believed that when Mary died her body assumed into Heaven and reunited with her soul.  Many towns and villages hold processions with a Mary statue and flowers.

Navidad (December 25th) - At midnight, many people go to a Midnight Mass service, known as the 'Misa de Gallo' which means Mass of the Rooster.  

Día de los Santos Inocentes (December 28th) - When people remember the babies that were killed on the orders of King Herod when he was trying to kill the baby Jesus.

Whit Sunday (Varies each year) - Commemorating the story of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus’ disciples.  Acts 2:1-6  "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken."

Corpus Christi (Varies each year) - Feast of Corpus Christi, also called Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, festival of the Roman Catholic Church in honor of the real presence of the body (corpus) of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, also called the Holy Communion, Last Supper or Lord's Supper.

• Dia de los Muertos (November 1-2) - Preparations actually begin on October 31.  It is really a 3 day celebration of those who have passed.November 1st and November 2nd, is believed to be the time when the spirits of the dead are believed to return home to spend time with their relatives.

  • Day of the Little Angels - Dia de los Angelitos (Midnight of November 1) - Celebrating the lives of the babies, toddlers, and children who briefly lived on this Earth. It is a common belief that all children are considered innocent and ascend into heaven at death to become angels. At home and in cemeteries families prepare for this day on October 31st by constructing an ofrenda or altar. Graves are decorated with white orchids and baby's breath. It is believed that the souls of children are so eager to return they arrive a whole day ahead of the adults! You will  often see more balloons on an altar instead of cut paper banners used for adults as a means to appeal the winds and the returning children’s souls. The child’s picture and favorite toys are also set on the altar.  In some regions you may even see children dressed in creative costumes in a tradition similar to trick or treating known as Mi Calaverita or My Little Skull. They head into town going from door to door asking for their little skull, and are usually given a number of sweet confections. 
  • Day of the Dead – Día de los Muertos (November 2nd) - Día de los Muertos has roots in Mexico’s pre-Spanish civilization and its beliefs and practices relating to death. It celebrates their living memory with gatherings at cemeteries where the dead are invited too. Adults are honored with clean grave stones that are decorated with bright orange marigolds, and they spend time there, in the presence of their deceased friends and family members. Alters are decorated with marigolds, candles, and pictures of the deceased, papel picado (cut tissue-paper) designs, as well as food and beverages. Before night falls, Mexicans light a candle at the graveside for each deceased relative and return to their homes. 

El Día de Cristo Rey (Sunday before advent) - It honors Jesus Christ as the Kings of all Kings.

Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe (December 12th) - This celebration commemorates the appearance of Mary to the Mexican peasant Juan Diego in 1531. 

Music and Lyrics in both Spanish and English

Posadas (From 16 to 24 of December) - Processions re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter take place in Mexico.   Children walk from house to house singing the traditional Las Posadas song and asking homeowners to let them in.  Every night, the processions end at a different house for a fiesta, with an abundance of food, drink and, of course, piñata.