"Pedimos Posada": In Days of "O," The Revolution Continues....

Sure, tonight the Latin church takes up its week of singing the Nightly O's... still, though, there's yet another something Latin among us in these days that fleshes out the sentiment all the more.

Lest anyone thought the Guadalupanos were resting up after last weekend's mass... everything, think again; tonight sees the second leg of Las Posadas -- the traditional re-enactment of the Holy Family's inn-seeking, joined by crowds of the faithful as they journey along.

Each night from 16-23 December (at least, in its full-tilt version), the Virgin and St Joseph -- represented always in carried statues or full creches, but sometimes likewise by actors, usually children -- make their way to several homes begging for a place to stay. Stop by stop, the crowd joins in singing to ask for room, and the couple are ritually turned away until they reach a designated house, where they're given lodging (posada) -- and, of course, a community fiesta open to all ensues.

While not as overwhelmingly massive as the now-de facto Mother of All American Catholic Feasts -- that is, The 12th -- the consistent uptick of Posadas around the country is just another instance of the most significant and widespread manifestations of popular piety the streets have seen from the Stateside church in half a century, or longer still.

And for a taste, here's a clip (o dos) from LA:





...and one (with explanation) from San Antonio:


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