Some 150 people gathered in the basement of Fair Haven’s St. Rose of Lima Church to kick off a nine-day annual highlight of the religious calendar for Latino Christians: Las Posadas.
Celebrants mark nine posadas, or daily celebrations, all leading up to Christmas Eve.
The story goes that for nine days, Joseph and Mary had to seek warmth and shelter in order to prepare for the birth of baby Jesus. Reenactments are common as a part of the festivities. Because “it is very cold out, and many people live in apartments, we come together and find shelter within the church,” said St. Rose pastor Father James Manship. On Sunday evening, the church announced the reappointment of Father Jim for six more years, under the auspices of the Archbishop of Hartford.
People from 18 different countries attend St Rose of Lima Church, a main gathering institution for new Haven’s growing Latino immigrant community.
“They had to figure out among themselves how to celebrate Las Posadas” by still abiding by their own countries’ traditions, Manship said. They decided that each night, members from a different country would lead the service and festivities. For the first night, Ecuador took the stage, with music, singing, and prayer.
Among the traditional prayers recited for Las Posadas, a special prayer was also given to those affected by the Newtown tragedy. There is a St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, which made the connection all that much stronger for the Fair Haven members participating in Sunday’s Posada.
Click here to read a recent background story about preparations for the Posadas at St. Rose of Lima.
