Cont. from front page.

The majority of the city’s 45 fountains also are decorated. The most notable are located at the corner of Pila Seca and Zacateros, at calles Cardo and Prolongación de Aldama, at the corner of calles Hospicio and Barranca, at El Chorro, on the corner of calles San Antonio and El Cardo, on calle Codo, and at the corner of the Teatro Ángela Peralta.

The latter, organized by Raquel Marroquín, features a young girl dressed as the Virgin Mary.

An altar artisan

One of the most beautiful traditional altars is displayed by the López Torres family at Pila Seca 39.

Antonio López Torres carries on the tradition begun by his father, Don Luis López, both of whom are artisans specializing in sculpting and restoring religious figures. “It was my father’s job when he got married,” said López. “Then I continued with the tradition. He was my first teacher. When I began high school I continued learning with my godfather, Don Genaro Almanza, also a sculptor and restorer of religious figures.” He has restored figures from most of the churches in San Miguel and is currently restoring figures at the Bishopric Chapel in Celaya. 

López explained that the main figures on his altar include the Virgin of Sorrows, Christ, the Apostle John and the Roman soldier Longinus, who pierced Jesus’s side with a lance. “All these figures are made of wood and were carved by my father more than 40 years ago,” said López. “About 10 years ago, I made the figures of the two thieves crucified alongside Jesus.”

López explained the symbolism of the components of his altar. Sprouted wheat grass, kept in a dark room so it remains yellow, will turn green three days after being placed on the altar; the transformation evokes the hope of Christ’s resurrection. Large crystal spheres called ojos de boticario (pharmacist’s eyes), once used by old pharmacists to read medical prescriptions, symbolize the tears of the Virgin.

“The fresh fruit water we offer to visitors also symbolizes the tears of the Virgin,” he explained. “It is sweet because they are the tears of the Virgin.” The fruit water is made of jamaica (hibiscus flowers), pineapple or lime with chía seeds. “We also used to prepare a drink made with jamaica water and oranges,” said López, who added that oranges symbolize the Virgin’s sorrow. Fragrant herbs such as fennel and chamomile placed on the altar represent the sorrow of Jesus when he felt himself abandoned in the garden at Gethsemene, since herbs are found in gardens. “The carpet of colored sawdust at the base 
of the altar shows that we are offering our work up to the Virgin, and the white and purple paper symbolizes the purity and mourning of the Virgin, respectively.”

Along with Don Genaro, this year he also will set up altars on calle Tenerías, at the corner of Callejón de los Suspiros.

The artisan also painted two canvases for the Ledesma family altar, located at Zacateros 59. “The first is a scene of the Last Supper, and the second is the Resurrection,” he said. He is finishing a third painting depicting the Virgin cradling the dead Christ in her arms, based on Michelangelo’s “Pietà.”

Caretaking a family tradition

Doña Antonia Hernández, now 80 years old, continues a family tradition that dates back 180 years. Her family’s altar at Zacateros 59 features figures of the Sorrowful Virgin and the crucified Christ. “I inherited the wooden statues from my mother 20 years ago,” said Doña Antonia, who added that both statues have passed from generation to generation and are now about 200 years old.

Doña Antonia stores the statues in special ventilated niches and takes them out only twice a year to prevent damage to the wood and cloth, which is periodically repaired by the nuns at Las Monjas convent. 

Her son, Jesús Ledesma, helps Doña Antonia with the preparations for the altar. “The statues are cleaned in a very special way. We cut a green tomato into quarters and cover the entire statue with its juice. This cleans the wood without damaging it or the paint,” he said. 

Over the years Doña Antonia’s altar has grown in size. This year, the Ledesmas will have a large, five-tiered altar. The first level depicts the Last Supper, the large canvas painted by López Torres.

The second tier shows the flagellation of Christ, represented by a 40-centimeter wooden statue of Our Lord of the Column, also a family heirloom from Doña Antonia’s mother.

The third tier represents Calvary and is adorned with statues of the crucified Christ and Mary placed before a canvas of a red sky painted by Genaro Almanza.

The fourth level features a painting of the resurrection of Christ, also by López Torres. This year, the Ledesmas will add the new canvas based on the “Pietà” and painted by López. 

Other traditional altars in San Miguel can be found at the radio station at Sollano 4, the Dobarganes home at Correo 25, the Pérez Bautista home at calles Mesones and Reloj, and the Pérez Robledo home on Aldama, opposite Villa Jaracaranda.

The Cuban Festival 

Friday, March 14
Jardín Principal, 6pm
Music Presentation “Ahora tú Verás”
Son del Son

Saturday, March 16
Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramírez, 12noon
Jardín Principal, 8pm, Cocktail
Concert and closing dance
Nurys Santiestebán and Sabrosón Group (Cuba)

Sunday, March 17
Jardín Principal, 9pm
Art, Literary and Craft Show closing (Cuba)
Information call: 152-7041 & (415) 155-9336

Reporting crimes helps reduce them
By Jesús Ibarra

In response to residents’ concerns about increasing crime in San Miguel, Daniel Trujillo, head of the Public Security Department, noted that this is a global problem, citing internet and telephone fraud as examples. He said that that his department is working hard to eradicate crime in the city through such efforts as organizing gangs to compete in soccer tournaments to deter them from criminal activities. In addition, a newly created Municipal Council for Public Security Coordination, in cooperation with the National Public Security System, links federal and state authorities with local authorities to increase the effectiveness of strategies and actions. According to Trujillo this coordination with federal and state public security authorities already existed but the creation of this council makes it official. 

Trujillo said that one reason for the increase in crimes is that residents do not report them. “On several occasions we have arrested young men who have mugged pedestrians or broken into houses or vehicles, but because they are minors and no one has reported them they are released after a few days in jail,” said Trujillo. He added that it is very important to report any act of criminality because this will help the police fight crime. “Unfortunately, the number of reports of criminal activity is very low in San Miguel. Citizens must not be afraid to report crimes; we guarantee there will not be reprisals. Reporting would really help reduce crime in San Miguel.”

According to the police blotter issued by the Public Security Department, which summary Atencion publishes every week, during February, there were in San Miguel 12 robberies to residences, 13 street robberies, 8 car robberies and 8 robberies to commercial businesses. 286 persons were arrested for different reasons. 

Atención San Miguel will be closed Monday, March 17–Friday, March 21 in observance of Semana Santa. The Biblioteca Pública will be closed Thursday, March 20–Saturday, March 22, in observance of Easter.