The Catholic Church of Nicaragua reported this Thursday that it has suspended the traditional procession of Our Lord of Esquipulas or the Black Christ in the El Sauce municipality, an image of the crucified Jesus that Central Americans have venerated for more than 400 years.
“By this means we inform all the parishioners that this year 2023 the traditional procession with the image of Our Lord of Esquipulas will not take place this coming January 15,” reported the Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas parish of the El Viejo municipality, department of Chinandega, in western Nicaragua, through a message on their social networks.
The parish had announced last December the route that the revered image would take, however this Thursday it announced the suspension without explaining the reasons.
Four years ago, thousands of Nicaraguan Catholics participated in the pilgrimage for the Lord of Esquipulas and asked for peace in Nicaragua, which has been immersed in a socio-political crisis since April 2018 that has left hundreds dead and detained.
On that occasion, the pilgrimage was led by the bishop of the diocese of Matagalpa (north), Rolando Álvarez, who has been imprisoned since last August and charged four months later for the crimes of conspiracy to undermine national integrity and propagation of news. false to the detriment of the State and Nicaraguan society.
Related news: Processions of the Lord of Miracles are suspended in Chinandega
In April 2018, thousands of Nicaraguans took to the streets to protest controversial social security reforms, which later turned into a demand for the resignation of the country’s president, Daniel Ortega, as he responded with force.
The protests left at least 355 dead according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), although local organizations raise the figure to 684 and the Government of Managua recognizes 200.
At least seven communities or municipalities in Nicaragua celebrate the Black Christ with popular festivals for being the local patron.
The communities or cities where the Black Christ is celebrated with the most merriment are Chontales, El Sauce, Esquipulas, Jinotega, La Conquista, Matagalpa and Tipitapa.
The Black Christ was venerated for the first time in 1594 in Esquipulas, Guatemala, from where its popularity spread to Mesoamerica.
58.5% of the inhabitants of Nicaragua are Catholics, according to the last national census.
