Luján

Sunday 8 April 2007

Happy Easter, everyone!

For the big day, Ryan and I went to Luján, a small town a couple hours outside the city which houses one of the country's biggest cathedrals. It is a sight of major pilgrimages several times a year, especially on days associated with either the Virgin Mary or their own particular Virgen de Luján.

It was pretty crowded today with people collecting holy water in bottles (some in special souvenir bottles with a picture of the virgin, some in empty pop bottles) lining up to be blessed (or to have their new rosaries and whatnot blessed - one guy even held up his car keys) and buying souvenirs.

This was the strangest part for me. The plaza outside the church was absolutely chock full of hundreds of vendors selling statues and rosaries (some giant ones made of nuts or something, about five feet long!) and necklaces and other religious hodge-podge. It seemed to remind me of a certain story involving Jesus and merchants in the temple - as I remember, he wasn't too happy about it.