Uma Ramiah Photo
To honor the patron saint of their native Mexican town, 15 men brought in dancers, musicians, ornate costumes, and a little something special: sand.
Originally hailing from Teacalco, Mexico, the group of New Haveners worked through the year to bring the celebration of Saint Apollonia — a little bit of home — all the way here. And for the first time in a decade, they recreated an intricate sand painting connected with the festival in Mexico.
The celebration took place Tuesday night at St. Rose of Lima — a Fair Haven neighborhood church home to many Latin American immigrant families.
“We’ve been celebrating this day for ten years,” said Teofilo Cabrera, leader of the commission (in Spanish, the Mayordomes) that organized the event. “But this is the first time we decided to make the painting.”
The festival, held every year on Feb. 8, went on in the basement of the church — a sprawling room with tiled floors and a stage. Hundreds of New Haven immigrants trace their roots to Teacalco.
“Each town in Mexico has its own virgin saint,” said Daniel Morales, a member of the Mayordomes. And it’s important for the community, especially while living in a different country, to celebrate that saint. “It would be an even bigger deal in Mexico,” said Morales.
The painting would be much larger there, he said. And the celebration would go on all night, even through the week.
But though they’re thousands of miles away from home, St. Rose’s Teacalco community pulled off a big, and beautiful, celebration in New Haven.
The Patron Saint of Dentistry
Martyred for her faith in Alexandria, Saint Apollonia died in 249 A.D. She’s often depicted holding a pair of pliers: legend holds she had her teeth wrenched and smashed as part of her punishment. So she’s held up as the patron saint of dentistry: those with toothaches turn to Saint Apollonia.
“The message as it applies today is that we’re not asked to sacrifice for our faith anymore,” said said Father Jim Manship, who heads St. Rose and has been a longtime vocal supporter of immigrant rights.
“But in a culture that’s so secular, faith still comes at a price.”
The community faces what Father Jim calls a “creative tension.”
“They’re trying to raise their kids in a place where they’re exposed to two worlds, really,” he said. There’s the secular world they see in the United States, and the spiritual, culturally rich world they access at home.
“This celebration becomes an anchor for them, in their faith and culture.”
Indeed, Saint Apollonia holds a special place in the lives of the Teacalco community in New Haven: During the year, a painting of her image is moved from household to household every eight days. Those with the honor of hosting the image of the saint hold a celebration at the end of their time with her, bringing together all the families in the community for food, prayer and reconnection.
“It’s like a little piece of home for them,” said Father Jim. “They’ve been able to etch out this cultural space, and they’ve found a way to express their Catholicism and culture despite being so far from home.”
Preparations
That evening around 8, the community gathered, eagerly awaiting the start of the party. It was a work night, but they still numbered close to 200.
But before the celebration could begin, commission members transformed the basement of St. Rose. They created the sand painting, spray painted chains of plastic silk flowers, set up chairs and erected an altar to Saint Apollonia. The sand for the painting came from Milford, said Morales. But the dye used to create the colorful figures on the painting (including stars, hearts, diamonds and birds in all different shades) was imported directly from Mexico.
“We started working on the painting at 10 this morning,” said Cabrera. They finished at 2 p.m. He and the rest of the Mayordomes spent the rest of the afternoon perfecting the space, readying it for the party. In Mexico, the members of the Mayordomes are charged with taking care of the needs of their parish. Here, they’re responsible for raising money and planning the celebration.
“This is a good thing for our community,” said Morales. “It brings everyone together.”
The dancers, called “guegues” in Teacalco, practiced for almost a month for the occasion, said Cabrera. Their costumes, including ornate capes, masks and canes, were imported from Mexico.
“These masks are hand carved from wood,” said Rogelio, who’s been dancing in the festival for years. They can take up to four weeks to make, he said, and cost anywhere from $300 to $1000.
Honoring the Saint
The musicians started up around 9 p.m. The bass thundered. Likely loud enough for the neighborhood to hear, the band played as the procession lined up.
First in line: images of Saint Apollonia. Three community members walked up the sides of the aisle, holding paintings of the virgin saint and making sure not to disturb the recently created sand painting.
Next were the guegues — dressed head to toe in traditional costumes. Some of the dancers were men dressed as women: part of the tradition meant to infuse humor and lightness into the celebration.
“Some of them are wearing their girlfriend’s skirts and makeup,” said Father Jim, smiling.
Other guegues were dressed as elders. Two in particular dressed to represent the Abuelo and Abuela (or grandfather and grandmother) of the ceremony.
“You’ll notice that when the Abuelo and Abuela step back from the dance, chaos breaks out,” said Father Jim. “But when they step back in, order is restored.” In this way, he said, the community honors the wisdom and authority of their elders.
As the procession quieted down, a woman at the front of the line got on her knees — on a pillow — in front of an image of Apollonia. She led the group in prayer, alternating with song, for nearly an hour.
They all faced their patron saint, crossing their chests and bowing their heads, reciting prayers in honor of her memory, and of her place in their cultural and spiritual heritage.
