Las Posadas brightens Corrales for holiday season

CORRALES — Freezing night air, luminarias aglow, poinsettias aplenty and Jesus, Mary and Joseph leading Corrales into the holiday season. That’s what Las Posadas signaled for the village the evening of Dec. 10.

Historically, Las Posadas has been part of the Christmas season and is a religious festival celebrated in Mexico and Latin America to commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. The name Las Posadas translates to “The Inns” in Spanish.

Typically it is celebrated over nine days, from Dec. 16 to Christmas Eve, but Corrales’ celebration occurs earlier and is a one-night-only performance.

“We’re so glad that you’re able to join us. We’re excited to present Las Posadas for the second year in a row. We had presented them for 14 years between 1999 and 201, and we’re so glad that we brought them back,” Corrales Historical Society Board President Ken Martinez said.

Martinez was proud that the program was bilingual. All songs sung during the short precession were sung in Spanish as were most of the songs at the end of the performance.

People had the choice to follow this year’s Mary (Ava Cadena) and Joseph (Jace Lopez,) through a miniature path made of luminarias outside the Old San Ysidro Church. Joining them were donkey Daisy Mae, angel Toni Gallegos and shepherd Kim Fay.

The music was sung by choir members from the San Ysidro parish. At the end of the precession, they led the group in singing famed carols such as “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.”

The holiday season celebration will continue in the village in the coming days. Over the weekend, the church will host the Festival of the Nativities.