Members of the Latino communities of Assumption in Richfield and Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Minneapolis gathered at their respective churches to celebrate The Festival for San Pablo Apostol Jan. 24 and 25.
The celebration is relatively new in the Twin Cities area, started at Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in 1999 by a group of people from Axochiapan in the state of Morelos in Mexico. St. Paul is the patron saint of the town of Axochiapan.
The celebration here begins on Jan. 24 with a procession of homemade candles to be blessed at Mass, followed by food and dancing. Several dance groups, including the Aztecs, Chinelos, Viejitos and other folkloric dance groups participate. The feast continues the next day and concludes with Mass. At the end of the Mass the stewards of an image of St. Paul pass the image to the new stewards, who will take it home and keep it until the next celebration.
During the year, the stewards invite people from the community to come to their home one day a week to pray the rosary and share a meal.
Photos by Dianne Towalski & Jim Bovin
