During the preceding Lenten period there are many interesting activities. One of the most touching is the day when just about every Catholic church, many private homes and many businesses set up 'lemonade stands' at their front doors. All passersby are offered free fruit drinks in commemoration of the Samaritan woman who offered Jesus a drink of water at the well.
On Good Friday, there are many solemn processions and re-enactments of the day of crucifixion. There is a particularly large silent procession in the city of Oaxaca that features people dragging crosses through the street and the more somber icons.
On Easter morning of 1997, we traveled to our 'county seat' of Etla, a small village about 12 miles north of the city of Oaxaca. After breakfast in a sidewalk restaurant on the edge of the town market, we ventured into the main church yard. There are some 28 area churches affiliated with the central one in Etla. On Easter morning, most of these outlying churches send delegations usually accompanied by an image of their respective saints and often with a brass band to Etla. The images and people of the delegations are decorated with flowers and garlands. The delegations parade around town, finally converging on the main church. In a period of 45 minutes or so, some 20 or more of these delegations descend upon the main church square, bands playing, people singing and clapping. It is a wonderful sight to witness!
