Retablos and Ex-Votos Exhibit
October 28 - November 27, 2002
Retablos and Ex-Votos:
|
 |
|
The Exhibit
|
|
|
Votive Offerings
|
|
|
Such votive acts date back to the earliest beginnings of human society. Many cultures have made a habit of surrounding the buried dead with valued objects or sacrifices. In the Roman culture Cicero mentions the adornment of shrines with objects of gratitude. Henry III of England dedicated a statue of his queen at the shrine of St. Edward in Westminster. In Boulogne the old Hanseatic League ports and other maritime cities of Europe often there were model ships given as Ex-Votos after deliverance from shipwreck or drowning. They were commonly given in the form of wax tapers with length determined by the sufferer who dedicated them.
|
|
|
At the shrine of Fatima in Portugal a common votive gift was a wax cast of the afflicted body part for which healing was requested. In the temple of Lourdes in France one can find large quantities of canes and crutches. In the port city of Santos, Brazil, a place well known for the large-scale shipping of coffee, was a church placed atop a small hill near the dock area, dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Penha (O.L. of the Mountain). This church was a favorite place of worship for the local stevedores. It contained numerous carved wood or wax images of limbs and backs representing the body parts often hurt while loading ships.
|
|
|
During the first half of the century a priest by the name of Cicero Romao officiated in the city of Joazeiro in the state of Ceara in North East Brazil. This priest, known as Padre Cicero, was thought of as a miracle worker and large pilgrimages were made to Joazeiro by visitors seeking his assistance. I remember seeing houses that were bought by pilgrims for the town and given to Padre Cicero in thanks for cures that he had granted. These houses were then painted sky blue and either used as public hostels or filled with crutches, wheelchairs, plaster casts, eyeglasses, or other such items.
|
|
|
From its beginnings the process of making ritualistic offerings was an integral part of Mexico's culture. The various civilizations, which in turn occupied the land, all had intricate belief systems and a rich panoply of observances. The connections between man and the other world was a multi-layered spiritual universe. The Catholic Church added to these dimension, and its rituals and colors have found true resonance in the emotional needs of the people of Mexico. We see the Mexican individual as one with special spiritual connections in matters of faith.
|
|
|
|
|
