Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrated on streets of Fremont

Sheri Trusty
·2 min read
Matachines dancer Bertha Martinez of the Danza Guadalupana dance troupe wears a handmade headdress and carries a handcrafted maraca.
Matachines dancer Bertha Martinez of the Danza Guadalupana dance troupe wears a handmade headdress and carries a handcrafted maraca.

FREMONT - St. Joseph and St. Ann’s nine-day novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe culminated on Dec. 12 with an elaborate procession of matachines dancers, who worshiped their way down Croghan Street to St. Joseph Catholic Church. The dancers, dressed in native costumes, performed elaborate dances in honor of the Virgin Mary. The matachines performers were part of the day’s Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“The purpose of the dance is to venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe. We pray with our feet,” said Roberto Martinez, who was part of the Danza Guadalupana dancers from Norwalk who performed during the procession. “It’s a way to thank Our Lady of Guadalupe for the gifts she gives us. She intercedes for us to God and helps us with any problems we have through the year.”

The dancers’ costumes included handmade headdresses, and they carried handcrafted maracas.

“They represent fighting evil. It’s a tradition of our ancestors,” Martinez said. “The choreography of the dance shows the movements we love to do to make people happy.”

The Danza Guadalupana dancers were from St. Paul the Apostle Church in Norwalk, and matachines dancers from St. Francis Xavier Church in Willard also performed.

The matachines religious dance is rooted in moresca, a medieval sword dance that acted out the battle between Christianity and paganism. After the Spanish brought the dance to the New World, the tradition was eventually absorbed by Mexican and Native American religious groups.

Danza Guadalupana dancers perform in front of the courthouse. Roberto Martinez, a member of the group, described the dance as praying “with our feet.”
Danza Guadalupana dancers perform in front of the courthouse. Roberto Martinez, a member of the group, described the dance as praying “with our feet.”

The focus of the procession was a statue of Mary, which is symbolically tied to Mary’s apparitions before Juan Diego from Dec. 9 to Dec. 12, 1531.

“It’s a form of respect to her,” said Antonio Gonzalez, who helped carry the statue in the procession. “To me, it symbolizes the walk of Juan Diego, who had to walk back and forth several times to see the Virgin Mary.”

The Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe began with mananitas, an early morning celebration with prayer where parishioners enjoyed Mexican hot chocolate and pastries. The evening dance procession ended at St. Joseph Church, where parishioners joined in a mass and reception.

The celebration followed the Our Lady of Guadalupe Novena, a nine-day period of prayer that ran from Dec. 3 to Dec. 11.

Matachines dancers pass by St. Joseph Central Catholic High School on their way to St. Joseph Church.
Matachines dancers pass by St. Joseph Central Catholic High School on their way to St. Joseph Church.

“The nine-day period of prayer is a preparation for the actual feast. The purpose of most of our novenas is to reach an end,” said Deacon Melvin Shell, Director of Faith Formation for St. Ann and St. Joseph Parishes.

The novena included daily events at the church such as rosaries and speakers.

“We have diverse speakers that talk about particular aspects of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the apparitions,” Shell said. “Our church’s Hispanic community does this because it brings the community together and helps the community prepare and the individuals prepare.”

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrated on streets of Fremont