The Posadas of San Miguel

Published December 17, 2022

By Rosario Ruiz

San Miguel de Allende often stands out from the rest of Mexican cities for the authenticity of its traditions. During Holy Week, we have songs of the Passion of Christ, and during the Christmas season we have carols written by Jose Maria Correa and Genaro Sandi, sung during the posadas. The posadas are reenactments of the journey of Joseph and Mary on a donkey, asking for lodging. The lyrics are unique, and you will only hear them in this city.

The best memories of my childhood are precisely the posadas at my aunts’ house on Sollano Street. I come from a family of musicians and artists, and in the living room of her house, there was a grand piano and a double bass. Every night during the novena—the nine days of posadas—my Aunt Carmen played Correa’s Christmas carols. Uncles and cousins met in that room to pray, while the little ones sat on red benches, listening attentively to the prayers led by my Aunt Lupe. At the end of the rosary, she would “walk the Pilgrims” around the patio. This meant taking out my aunt’s ancient Mystery, with images of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and a little donkey. The montage sat on a board, ready to be carried by older cousins. The women, with their angelic voice, first sang the litany in Latin, and then the group was divided in two groups—the ones outside sang asking for lodging and the ones on the inside responded.

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