Mexico -- History -- 1910-1946; Mexico City (Mexico) -- Social life and customs
I have no doubt the population of the submerged-tenth quarter, through
which Zapata would have to pass, coming in _via_ the Tlalpan and
Country Club road, would enjoy rallying to his call. Our street seemed
at one time already in the hands of _revolucionarios_ in the shape of
hundreds of newspaper boys--babes who could scarcely hold their papers,
but whose bright little eyes can distinguish the national currency at
any distance, and big boys and old women.
They scented large editions from the offices of _La Prensa_, and there
was much begging for centavitos right under my windows to buy copies
with. Shrieks and howls mingled with cries of "_La Prensa!_" and "_Viva
Orozco!_" The trolley-cars were blocked, and we seemed the focus of
the Orozco victory as far as the capital was concerned. It was late
when an adequate police force appeared on the scene and formed a cordon
about the lower part of the street. Even as I write they are calling
an extra, which I am sending down for. It has been an exciting day, and
all exciting days in Mexico are blood-colored.
_March 31st._
Palm Sunday evening.
This morning I went to the Church of San Fernando. The sun was shining
softly as I passed down the street of the Hombres Ilustres in through
the little palm- and eucalyptus-planted plaza, in the middle of which,
surrounded by the most peaceful of flower-beds, is the statue of
Guerrero (shot in Oaxaca in 1831). His body lies in the old cemetery
near by.
A soft, shining peace was over everything, and I felt inexpressibly
happy and in accord with it. No hint came to me, as I walked along,
of any bloody sacrifice of God or man. Little groups of Indians were
waving their palms, kneeling at the door of the church, or walking
about, and a few were selling elaborately plaited branches.
Though San Fernando is in a populous quarter, the tide has set to other
shrines. Once it was the center of great activities, for from this
church and the monastery and seminary adjoining were fitted out all
the missions to the Californias. Padre Junipero Sierra and Padre Magin
Catalá, and many other holy youths, burning with a zeal we don't even
dimly comprehend, came from Spain to be trained here before starting
out into unknown wildernesses, "for souls and for Spain." It's all so
mysteriously suggestive.
The church has a pinkish-brown baroque façade, beautifully _patinée_,
and the old doors are carved in a noble, conventional design. As I went
in it seemed rather empty, a few Indians and a few _gente decente_
only, praying before the purple-draped altars. Dreary, immense,
uninteresting paintings decorate the walls now; but its interior was
once hallowed, dim, gleaming with the gold of Churrigueresque altars
and retablos, carvings, embroideries, and beautiful silver and gilt
candelabra and vases.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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