Las flores de papel y el día de la Cruz

Dr. Kristin Routt Dr. Carlos Amaya

El Día de la Cruz• Day of the Cross

• May 3

• On the Catholic calendar

• Granada (a city in Spain) and El Salvador (in Central America)

Origins

• Constantine defeats barbarians at the Danube with a cross in front of his army

• Sent his mother St. Helen to find cross in Jerusalem

• Corresponds to pagan festival of trees in spring

Granada

El Día de la Cruz en Granada

• Popular festival• Party on the streets

– Visit crosses on patios– Bar-hopping– Flamenco dancing

Traditional dresses and

dances

Decorating a Cross

• Crosses outside of houses

• School activities

Día de la Cruz en El Salvador

Día de la Cruz en El Salvador(Religious sincretism)

Día de la Cruz in El Salvador

• Catholic Day of the Cross

• Celebration of fruit harvest

Corresponds to indigenous cult of Xipe Totec

• Para este pueblo de raíces agrícolas, la llegada de la temporada lluviosa era momento para pedir y agradecer a las antiguas deidades por el agua que caería del cielo

y haría germinar sus cosechas.

El Salvador

• Each home sets up a cross

• Decorate cross with fruit and paper

• Pray three rosaries• Eat tamales, sweet

bread and coffee in evening

El Salvador Prayer

“Vete de aquí Satanás

que parte de mi no tendrás

Porque el Día de la Cruz

Dije mil veces Jesús, Jesús,

Jesús . . .”

Traditional dresses

Indigenous communities

Special tree to make the cross: jiote

Special flower: flor de mayo

Salvadorans in the U.S.

Salvadorans in the U.S.

Everybody celebrates