A cardinal from Guatemala, during this year’s Christ of Esquipulas Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, told the congregation, “Today we need to look to the sky again and discover that star, which can help humanity find the path of peace and harmony.”
Cardinal Alvaro L. Ramazzini Imeri, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, served as principal celebrant and homilist of the afternoon Mass, held Sunday, January 4. Christ of Esquipulas, also called Lord of Esquipulas and Black Christ of Esquipulas, is a Guatemalan devotional tradition. The feast day is January 15.
The annual liturgy was celebrated mostly in Spanish, with two languages indigenous to Guatemala included in the readings. About 1,400 people attended.
The homily message
“And the Lord declares at the temple, ‘I am the light of the world,” Cardinal Ramazzini said in delivering the homily, citing the day’s readings. “Jesus does not say: I have the light. He says, ‘I am the light; and all who follow me shall not walk in darkness.’” The cardinal noted that in present times, there remains too much darkness that stems from social and political unrest, including “wars and destruction.”
“It is more beautiful to live in the light than to live in darkness,” Cardinal Ramazzini said, lamenting that humanity continues to fail to understand this, too often taking paths that lead to unrest and armed conflict. He alluded, to some degree, to the current Maduro/Venezuela international crisis.
“We are, indeed, in moments of darkness,” he said. “The historic events that are unfolding, the latest being what occurred two days ago, etc., are manifestations of how, despite the history that humanity has lived, we have not learned that it is more beautiful to live in the light and not in the darkness.”
As Christ gave sight to the blind, he noted, “I think that is what the world today needs – we need to see, with clarity…It is incredible that humanity does not learn – it is incredible. We continue to be blind; we continue to live in the darkness.” It is the Light of Christ, the cardinal asserted, that can bring humanity out of the darkness.
Also citing the readings, Cardinal Ramazzini spoke about the importance of the story of the Three Kings, “these mysterious men who were seeking the King of the Jews, because they have had a revelation – and the revelation was manifested through a natural phenomenon – a star, a star that guided them…Today, we need to look to the sky again and discover that star, which can help humanity find the path of peace and harmony.”
The cardinal cited words from Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV, urging the peoples and nations of the world to seek that light, the Light of Christ. He spoke of the significance of the Nativity, the protection of Baby Jesus by Mary and Joseph. He expressed his gratitude to all groups and individuals in the U.S. who have advocated for the rights of immigrants. And he spoke about the importance of the Guatemalan devotion to Christ of Esquipulas.
He also urged the faithful to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ – to be witnesses of the Light of the Lord. And as he walked down the steps from the lectern, the people applauded.
Words from the faithful
Oscar and Hilda Muñoz are parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes in Queens Village; they were among participants in the large and colorful entrance procession, which included a crucifix statue and images of Christ of Esquipulas.
“This is an important tradition that comes from our country, and we try to conserve our traditions here (in New York, the U.S.),” Mr. Muñoz, 55, told The Good Newsroom shortly before the Mass began. “That is why we participate – we are Guatemalans, and we try to maintain our roots. We have been participating in this annual Mass for about 10 years.” Muñoz and his wife have four children.
The city of Esquipulas is in southeast Guatemala. It is known for its large colonial church (the Basilica of Esquipulas), a popular pilgrimage center in Central America built in the 18th century to house the Black Christ figure of Jesus on the cross. The figure was commissioned by the Spanish conquistadors and first placed in a local church in 1595.
The image was carved from dark wood in 1594, measuring around five feet tall. The main religious processions occur on January 15 and during Holy Week. Esquipulas is about 80 miles east of Guatemala City, with an elevation of over 3,000 feet.