The annual Mass in honor of Christ of Esquipulas was celebrated on Sunday, January 5, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Christ of Esquipulas, also called Lord of Esquipulas, is a Guatemalan devotional tradition.       

The principal celebrant and homilist was Cardinal Alvaro L. Ramazzini Imeri, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. More than 1,000 people attended the afternoon Mass, which was celebrated primarily in Spanish, with two languages indigenous to Guatemala included in the readings.   

The homily message    

“What unites us is that we feel like human beings loved by God, and called to love one another,” Cardinal Ramazzini said during his homily. Alluding to the statue of Christ of Esquipulas situated at the sanctuary steps, the cardinal noted, “That is the image of Christ crucified…The Lord Jesus died for you, he died for me. He told us that He came so that we can have life and have it in abundance.” Cardinal Ramazzini reiterated the Lord’s call for us to love one another, lamentably citing societal injustices in the U.S., in Guatemala, and elsewhere.                                  

“No hay amor mas grande que dar tu vida para los demás (There is no greater love than giving your life for others),” he said. “When we have that encounter with Jesus Christ, we are joyful, my brothers and sisters.” He spoke of Mary’s significant loving role as the Mother of God, and he reminded the faithful of the day’s importance since it was also the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord.  

Cardinal Ramazzini noted the importance of the hard work of many Guatemalan immigrants in the U.S., fellow countrymen who send money to their families in Guatemala, which in turn helps the economy of their motherland. He noted the sad history of armed conflicts in Guatemala, but he also cited the significance of celebrating Guatemala’s multicultural, multi-lingual, and multi-ethnic society, as well as historical treaties there that address indigenous rights. 

Lisette Osuna, a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey, was among the faithful who attended the Mass. She was with her husband Emilio, and both are  Guatemala-born; they have four children. 

“I’ve been coming to this annual Mass for seven years. By attending the Mass here, it feels like we are taking part in the Masses in Guatemala in honor of Christ of Esquipulas,” Mrs. Osuna told The Good Newsroom during a center-aisle dance interpretation after the Profession of Faith. She said that, as an immigrant from many years ago, the faith “has been a refuge” for her family, “following God, that is how we found strength.”        

Victor Ramirez Scaglia, consul general of Guatemala in New York, gave closing words of gratitude – as did Luis Argueta, a member of the Mass organizing committee. Argueta also encouraged the faithful to rely on faith and hope amid anti-immigrant rhetoric here in the U.S. and threats of mass deportation. 

Christ of Esquipulas

The city of Esquipulas is located 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. The basilica dominates the horizon.