The Save Our History Organization (SOHO) is continuing tradition with the 51st annual Las Posadas processional through Old Town San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 13, beginning at 7 p.m.
The posada began in the 16th century as a liturgical event to celebrate the pilgrimage of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and has since evolved into a procession during which people ask for symbolic lodging to represent how Mary and Joseph sought shelter, or posada, from the night and at last found refuge in a humble stable where Christ was born.
The posada varies by region and typically lasts nine nights, followed by a celebration, which culminates with the breaking of the piãata.
The Old Town tradition began a half-century ago when Virginia Lucas, a teacher for 14 years at the Mason Street Schoolhouse in Old Town, read the book “Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street” by Leo Politi. It tells the story of a young boy’s experience of Las Posada in Los Angeles’ historic Olvera Street. After hearing the story, the adult students decided that Old Town should have its own celebration.
In the past, the event has been hosted and sponsored by the San Diego County Historical Days Association, based at the Mason Street Schoolhouse in Old Town and part of the Old Town State Historic Park, but the group was planning on ending the event.
“They were going to discontinue it after 50 years basically because of lack of funding,” said Alana Coons, SOHO events and education director. “They came to SOHO and asked us if we would step up and help them because it’s such an important tradition and our organization being very involved in preserving all of San Diego’s history including its tradition.”
The Old Town version lasts one day and depicts the pilgrims accompanied by “Mary and Joseph,” and a live donkey. The procession will stop at nine different “inns,” businesses and historical buildings in the park and will end at the Casa de Estudillo.
The chant is the same at each stop, “Quien nos da posada?” (“Who will give us lodging?”); as is the reply, “No hay posada,” (“There is no lodging”), until lodging is found at Casa de Estudillo.
Coons explained that because this is the first year SOHO is sponsoring the event, the group is still learning the ins and outs but hopes to expand the event in the future.
La Pastorela, another SOHO event begun last year, is a Hispanic tradition play that tells the story of the Shepherds’ journey to Bethlehem and the obstacles they face. La Pastorela will be performed on the Plaza del Pasado stage in Old Town both before and after the Posada procession.
“Next year what we’re planning on doing, with the help of the community as a whole here in Old Town, is making a really big winter event in Old Town called Fiesta Navidad and it will be a four day event with Las Posadas, La Pastorela and lots and lots of other things,” said Coons.
The choir of the Institute of Religious Studies at San Diego State University, as well as the seventh- and eighth-grade choirs from Francis Parker Middle School in Mission Hills, will perform.
This year’s celebration will consist of numerous piãatas from the various restaurants in Old Town and special menu items at select restaurants. Restaurants along San Diego Avenue will be holding special events for the evening, including Café Coyote, which will have live music and entertainment during the celebration.
The evening begins at 7 p.m. at Heritage Park, 2470 Heritage Park Row, where several songs will be sung, and Monsignor Mark Campbell of the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, 2540 San Diego Ave., will give the invocation. Then Rev. Alex Achacoso of the Old Town Community Church, 2444 Congress St., will read the Christmas story. Emcee Tom Adema will give instructions to the public for the procession and programs, including lyrics to the songs in both English and Spanish.
“We’re really excited about “¦ getting people to think about Old Town for the holidays since it is, of course, the birthplace of California and the first community in San Diego,” Coons said. “So we’re trying to get people to realize that there’s a lot to do here during the holidays and bring back some of those early traditions that were had here. In the early days they always would have done these types of events in the winter season.”
For more information, visit www.sohosandiego.org.
“Pedro, The Angel of Olvera Street” by Leo Politi, the book that catalyzed the Old Town tradition, is available at bookstores and public libraries.