Aguascalientes (AP) in Mexico – There is a corner in central Mexico that surrounds a respected saint. The name of the community? St. Mark’s. The name of the local Catholic church? You guessed it, St. Mark.
No wonder the most famous event in the area is St. Mark’s Fair – a month-long celebration that begins every year in mid-April, attracting visitors to bullfights and musical activities.
Last year, 10 million visited the city of Aguascalientes, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) northwest of the country’s capital, Mexico City. But Friday’s crowds are more than just the fair. They came to commemorate St. Mark, also known as Evangelical Missionary Mark, and were celebrated in Christianity as one of Jesus’ 12 original disciples.
“Even if the expo was originally intended for commerce and agriculture, it later increased religious awareness,” said Abel Carmona, who presided over the mass and parade, while Catholics observed St. Mark’s Day or the feast of St. Mark on April 25.
He said the fair now promotes knowledge about St. Mark, whose relics are preserved in Venice, Italy, where the landmark St. Mark’s Cathedral is located.
Founded in 1620, the community was settled by the “St. Mark’s Indians” built by Spanish missionaries, who built a small chapel.
An expo was first held in a nearby village in November 1828, mainly for the purpose of providing goods. But after 20 years, after a beautiful garden was built near St. Mark’s Church, the authorities decided to hold an expo in St. Mark until the St. Mark’s.
Jodie Altamira, 35, grew up nearby and now helps organize the church parade and Bazar during the expo, which she says is part of her identity, both a resident of Aguascalientes and a Catholic.
Carmona and Altamira have been increasingly concerned about Fairgoers’ excessive drinking over the years and are now working to inspire a different, healthier atmosphere. This year, the community hosted three speeches on St. Mark’s and the history of the church.
Carmona said this year was special because the community also marked the so-called “Temple Defense.”
It commemorates a vibrant moment of the 1920s, when then-President Plutarco Elías called to plan to build a Mexican “split” church independent of Rome. In February 1925, St. Mark’s Church was taken away by a loyal priest, but the local residents rebelled and eventually restored their beloved temple.
“It’s a heroic defense,” Kamona said. “It’s important because it led to him giving up his idea of building a Mexican church.”
Carmona celebrates Mass all day on Friday. Afterwards, a concert and a parade will be held before sunset.
“Our procession is a manifestation of the public, saying ‘St. Mark’ is not just a pagan fair,” Altamira said. “This is how we celebrate the saints who brought us to Jesus Christ.”
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Hernández reported from Mexico City.
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