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NORWALK — In an effort to continue with the Central American devotion of over 400 years, Saint Ladislaus church welcomed a new ebony image of Christ crucified on the cross, known as the Lord of Esquipulas, this past Sunday. The patron saint of Guatemala; to whom migrants on pilgrimage entrust themselves to arrive safely before crossing the border into the United States, was installed and blessed.
Before beginning the Sunday mass, the dark skinned Christ entered in a procession to the sound of the Hymn of the Lord of Esquipulas performed by the Central American choir of the parish, led by guitarist José Martínez, a native of Guatemala, who agreed to assemble the mass repertoire in honor of the Christ from his country. They rehearsed all the songs of the liturgy including the hymn; which was sung three times during the entrance to the church in procession, at communion and at the end of the mass when the Christ was taken to the side of the nave, where the image that will remain in the temple was installed to increase faith and devotion in Christ crucified.
“This devotion is of special significance for our brothers from Guatemala and the countries of Central America and Mexico for so many miracles granted,” said Father Edicson Orozco, parish priest of Saint Ladislaus church during the noon mass on Sunday, December 18 where he presented the dark Christ who came from the Chiquimula region of Guatemala, accompanied by Yolanda Catalán, Faustino, Raymundo Augusto, Angel and José Martínez, members of the organizing committee; who brought the tradition to the parish.
“For us Catholics, images are visible representations of something invisible. Starting today it will be a holy image that reminds us of the passion and death of Jesus Christ our Lord, who under the invocation of the Lord of Esquipulas today comes to bless this parish with his presence and with his love. He has come to save the entire world and from now on it will be a devotion in our parish, not only for the Central American people but for all those who wish to pay homage to him in this beautiful image that we have today,” Father Edicson said while he presented the faithful Christ.
At the end of the mass, Father Orozco once again called the Guatemalan committee to carry the into procession towards the side of a side nave, where it will be placed perennially with the purpose that his devotees come to visit and honor him constantly.
Angel and Maribel Sandoval, natives of San José del Golfo, five hours from the Basílica del Cristo Moreno, had lived in Stamford for twelve years and knew that the Lord of Esquipulas was also venerated in Saint Mary’s Church. When they moved to Norwalk six years ago they were going to the Stamford celebration, but a couple of months ago, Raymundo Augusto, a native of Samayac-Suchitepequez, proposed bringing an image of Christ from Guatemala and they immediately talked to Father Orozco about the idea and he immediately accepted when he found out that when Guatemalans decide to cross the border to arrive to the United States, they first visit the sanctuary of the Lord of Esquipulas on a pilgrimage and beg him to help them arrive safely and that when they have proper documentation and can return to their country they will visit him again.
After receiving the go-ahead from Father Orozco, they took on the task of calling the store of religious pieces of the Esquipulas Sanctuary in Guatemala and quoted models and prices for the image of Christ made of resin, marble dust and fiberglass that measures 1’70 meters for a price of $350 dollars, plus shipping and handling for a total amount of $600 dollars and an extra expense in preparing a wooden box so that the image can arrive in good condition.
According to the Organizing Committee, the novena in honor of the Lord of Esquipulas will begin on January 6 at 6 pm until Saturday the 14th. On Sunday, January 15, there will be a thanksgiving mass at 12 noon. On that occasion, the plan is to make a carpet of flowers on a sawdust base, a Guatemalan tradition, since it is known as the country of eternal spring due to its quantity and quality of flowers and climate.
After the religious celebration there will be a gathering where tamales and Guatemalan punch will be provided in the basement of the church.
According to the Stamford Board of Education, the Guatemalan population is the main migrant force in the city, a population that has spread to Norwalk, due to its proximity between Greenwich, Stamford, Bridgeport, and Danbury; cities where the immigrant workforce is on the rise in the area of home care services, construction and health sector.
