Faced with the prohibition of the Sandinista police not to allow processions in the streets of the municipality of Masatepe, the local Catholic Church celebrated this past weekend the Holy Trinity with a solemn Eucharist inside the temple, presided over by Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, and a visit to the house of the steward of these festivities.
On the morning of last Saturday, June 3, the image of the Holy Trinity had to be attached to a base and accompanied by its chargers to transfer it in a vehicle from its parish church, to the house of the stewardship, so as not to expose the parishioners in the traditional tour of the streets, which this year was prohibited by the regime.
The band of philharmonics harmonized the encounter between the saint and the parishioners, who came to honor the image for favors received.
Related news: Regime promotes patron saint festivities, but restricts processions in some municipalities
The priest Julio Porrasparish priest of the San Juan Bautista Church, in Masatepe, said that the Catholic people “are always filled with joy when we celebrate our patron saint festivities”, which he described as “festivities of faith, of devotion” in prayer “to the Lord (for) bless Nicaragua, these families and this city.”
“We have done what we have been commanded to do. We do not have permission for a procession (but) faith strengthens us, faith is not taken from us by anyone, we carry it as if it were blood in our veins,” said the priest.
They pray for the situation in Nicaragua
Mrs. Esmeralda Bravo, a well-known devotee of the Holy Trinity, from Masatepe, and current steward of San Lázaro, said that every year she attends the celebration of the saint, not because of favors received, but because of the faith she inherited from her parents and that she continues to pass on to her offspring.
«Every time he goes out there I am. Right now I am a steward of San Lázaro, I have brought the Lord (of the Holy Trinity) twice to my house, and I have been a patron,” said Bravo.
Another devotee of the revered religious image, who preferred not to reveal her name, said that they continue to pray for the situation in the country and the excessive persecution against the Catholic Church. “You have to pray a lot so that the social and political situations that we are experiencing are regulated, so that future generations can experience this celebration with freedom,” she assured.
Likewise, he said that his faith in the Holy Trinity helped him overcome the seriousness that the Covid-19 disease left him, and urged the parishioners to continue “praying and imploring favors from the Lord in the midst of despair.”
Cardinal asks to continue praying
In the midst of the accusations that the Sandinista regime directed at the Catholic Church for alleged money laundering and that it summoned the Archbishop of Managua to render accounts for the alleged discovery of bags of money in the Dioceses of the country, this past Sunday, during the solemn In the church of San Juan Bautista, Cardinal Brenes invited the parishioners to pray and “commit themselves to the Holy Trinity.”
«That in this ancient image and that you venerate with so much affection, we have to promote that not only is Christ, he is not the Lord of Trinidad, but that we have as he himself says; ‘whoever sees me sees the father’, if we look at this image we have to see the image of the father, and when we see the father and the son we also see the presence of the Spirit that sanctifies us”, he expressed.
The Catholic hierarch recognized the “silent” work of this religious community in the midst of the “difficulties” and prohibitions to celebrate the solemnity of the Holy Trinity that in this parish is represented in the ancient image of Christ crucified.
I’m glad to share with you today, to share the work you’ve been quietly struggling to do, but what’s sticking out of all this? A faith, today we celebrate this Eucharist with that spirit of faith, with that great affection for our good God”, he added.
By United Voices
