Through the Municipal Bando, the Sandinista Mayor’s Office of Masaya declared a paid holiday on the occasion of the patron saint festivities in honor of San Jerónimo, despite the fact that the Daniel Ortega regime prohibited the image of the city’s patron saint from taking to the streets.
«In accordance with the powers granted to me by article number 98 of decree 52-97 (Regulations of the Law of Municipalities) “The beginning, duration and modalities of the patron saint festivities will be regulated by the mayor through a decree”, declare a paid holiday, on Friday, September 30, 2022, as it is a local holiday in honor of the festivities of San Jerónimo, patron saint of the Masayas, “says the statement signed by the Ortega mayor Janina Noguera.
Related news: Police prohibit processions in Masaya amid persecution against the Church
As for the traditional eighth of “Tata Chombo” to be held on October 7, the Sandinista commune declared a holiday on account of vacations only for the municipality of Masaya.
“Excepted from this provision are all those jobs that are not subject to interruption, according to article No. 69 of the Labor Code, in these cases it will be subject to the provisions of article No. 70 of the Labor Code,” the letter explains. .
The commune stated that “the patron saint festivities of San Jerónimo are a religious and traditional celebration of the people of Masaya and a characteristic sample of our cultural identity, which promotes the rescue and promotion of culture, traditions and customs”, however it did not refer to the prohibition of processions.
Catholic Church under siege
This year, the regime of Daniel Ortega Ortega canceled the parade of the patron saint of the Masayas, supposedly for “public security reasons”, reducing the parties inside the temple and surrounded by dozens of agents from the Ortega Police Special Operations Directorate.
Related news: Saint Jerome comes down from his niche, but does not leave the temple by orders of Ortega
Sources on condition of anonymity revealed to Article 66 that the decision of the dictatorship to prevent religious freedom was because the parish priest José Antonio Espinoza did not give mayordomia to the mayor Janina Noguera.
Despite the fact that the Nicaraguan government continues its attack against the Catholic Church, dozens of parishioners from Masaya gathered on September 20 in their parish to participate in the traditional descent.
At the time of the descent of the patron saint of the Masayas, the dozens of parishioners danced and shouted: “Long live San Jerónimo! Long live the Catholic Church! Long live the priests! Long live Nicaragua!”
This is the first time that Saint Jerome has not gone out to walk the streets of Masaya by order of the Nicaraguan government, however the Catholic Church has called for continuing to participate in religious activities, despite police harassment.
