MECA's Fiesta Guadalupana Kicks off the Christmas Holidays with Music, Theatre, and Dance.HOUSTON -- Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA MECA Maine College of Art MECA Middle East Children's Alliance MECA Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association (Washington, DC) MECA Marriage Equality California MECA Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment ) will kickoff the holidays with Fiesta Guadalupana on Tuesday, December 12, 8 p.m., 1900 Kane Street. The holiday celebration in honor of Mexico's Lady of Guadalupe, will feature traditional Mexican music, a theatrical performance and art exhibit by the Children's Prison Art Project. The free event forms part of MECA's Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Concert Series. Mexican hot chocolate and sweet breads will also be served. Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe, also called the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe or Virgen de Guadalupe) is a 16th century Roman Catholic Mexican icon depicting is Mexico's most popular religious icon. Considered by many as a manifestation of the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary: see Mary. Virgin Mary immaculately conceived; mother of Jesus Christ. [N.T.: Matthew 1:18–25; 12:46–50; Luke 1:26–56; 11:27–28; John 2; 19:25–27] See : Purity , her feast day, December 12, commemorates her appearance to Indian St. Juan Diego For the actor, see . Saint Juan Diego (1474 – May 30, 1548) was an indigenous Mexican who reported an apparition of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531. He had a significant impact on the spread of the Catholic faith within Mexico. on the hill of Tepeyac near Mexico City Mexico City Spanish Ciudad de México City (pop., 2000: city, 8,605,239; 2003 metro. area est., 18,660,000), capital of Mexico. Located at an elevation of 7,350 ft (2,240 m), it is officially coterminous with the Federal District, which occupies 571 sq mi . St. Juan Diego became the first indigenous American saint in the Catholic Church when Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II) born Karol Józef Wojtyła canonized can·on·ize tr.v. can·on·ized, can·on·iz·ing, can·on·iz·es 1. To declare (a deceased person) to be a saint and entitled to be fully honored as such. 2. To include in the biblical canon. 3. him in 2002. Feast day celebrations in Mexico end on December 16, which marks the beginning of the Christmas season. The event will begin with a gathering around the statue of the Virgin by artist Paul Kittelson, and will include music by Mariachi MECA and a performance by MECA's Ballet Folkorico. The procession will then move to the auditorium for a theatrical performance of the Virgin's visitation to St. Juan Diego. "Our Lady of Guadalupe is an important part of Mexican culture and tradition," says Julio Lopez, choreographer for the Ballet Folklorico and screenplay writer of the Virgin's visitation play. "It's as an opportunity for spiritual reflection, as well as a celebration of new things to come. Audience members will see a small, but rich sampling of folk music and indigenous dances as performed throughout Mexico this time of year. It's the perfect way for friends and family to start Christmas," says Lopez. The event will also open an exhibit displaying artwork of the Virgin from the Children's Prison Arts Project, a non-profit organization that provides a forum for at-risk youth in correctional facilities to use art to express their thoughts and visions in constructive ways. The exhibit will be on display at MECA till the end of the year. MECA promotes the healthy social, cultural, and academic development of at-risk, inner-city youth through education in the arts. For more information: 713-802-9370 www.meca-houston.org. |
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