From 'Fat Tuesday' to Ash Wednesday
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- Published on Friday, 07 March 2014 15:02
- Written by GR Staff
Wild outfits, costumes and humorous themes were the operating rules for elaborately decorated floats in Ajijic’s Carnaval parade.
Only the faint of heart missed out on the revelry of Ajijic’s Mardi Gras parade and getting pummeled with flour by the hoard of madcap Sayacas.
But once all the mayhem was said and done, tradition and seriousness took over.
Following ‘Fat Tuesday’ came Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of a 40-day liturgical period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes (formally called the Imposition of Ashes) on the foreheads of adherents as a celebration and reminder of human mortality, and as a sign of mourning and repentance to God.
Churches across Jalisco and Mexico solemnly observed this ritual this week, including the Templo de la Merced in the Guadalajara city center (photo below).