Around 600,000 joyful Catholics turned out this Friday at the representation of the Via Crucis of Holy Week in the popular neighborhood of Iztapalapa in Mexico City, which had been suspended during the pandemic.
“There are 600,000 people,” Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters, celebrating the 179th anniversary of the tradition this year.
According to data from the Izapalapa mayor’s office released to the press, between Palm Sunday, Thursday and this Friday, a total of 1,800 people attended the shows of Iztapalapa.
But this Friday was the first day that free entry was allowed.
“For me it’s nice (to return) because since I was a child my father brought us (…) for me it is a satisfaction” to witness the religious representation again, Susana Montaño, a 63-year-old housewife, told AFP.
in the staging catholic About 100 people participated, including actors and musicians.
Izapalapa registered 8,847 deaths from Covid-19. The actors, who prepare a year in advance, had to present a negative test for Covid-19 to maintain the health security.
Carrying pictures of loved ones, climbing trees, parishioners made their way through the crowd to see the actors.
“It felt like sadness…like traditional things were being lost,” added Montaño, referring to the restrictions due to the pandemic that prevented him from attending the Passion of Christ flame.
In total in Mexico 324,000 people have died from the new coronavirus.
