The population of the Tomás Lander municipality (Ocumare del Tuy) in the state of Miranda revived their faith this first Sunday of Lent, when they honored the Virgin Our Lady of Coromoto during the celebration of the eighty-second anniversary of the Pilgrimage of the Escorta de los Indios Coromotanos , a religious and cultural manifestation typical of this city of yours.
The festivities began at 6 am with the launch of rockets. The Eucharist was at 10 am in the Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto of the San Diego de Alcalá parish in Ocumare del Tuy.
Pilgrimage of the Escort of the Coromotano Indians
In the middle of the mass, Monsignor Freddy Fuenmayor, Bishop of the Diocese of Los Teques, together with the priest Georgregory Oviedo, insisted on keeping the faith and traditions alive, on respecting the cultural and folkloric value of the Pilgrimage of the Escorta de los Indios coromotanos.
Fuenmayor maintained that “Lent is a time for reflection, union, mutual understanding (…) it is a time to meet God.”
He begged the faithful not to “let themselves be tempted by the snake of evil (…) and that we learn to be better human beings attached to God.”
Procession of Coromotano Indians
At 12:30 noon this Sunday, the image of the Virgin Our Lady of Coromoto was taken out of the temple by the faithful and more than two thousand promises dressed as aboriginals, all under the command of Chief Bernardo González, who -on horseback – led the tour from Miranda street passing through the Plaza del Estudiante, Ribas avenue until reaching the Corocito sector, and then going down Miranda avenue, crossing towards Bolívar and El Palmar streets until reaching the Plaza de los Indios, where they paid tributes the first Cacique Jesús Tereso Sánchez (+) and Monsignor Rafael Pérez de León (+), founders of the pilgrimage in 1941.
Later, the procession continued along Urdaneta street and returned to the church.
The pilgrimage was accompanied by seven floats adorned with palms and fruit plants, the first one carries the image of the Virgin of Coromoto, accompanied by two young people, dressed in white and with a red cap representing freedom, followed by the others who transported the rest of the children dressed as angels, as well as men and women, on foot and on horseback.
wear 70 necklaces
This Sunday, the Cacique Mayor Bernardo González (69), who has paid promises since he was one year old, added one more necklace to his neck to threaten the Ocumareña Indianada Pilgrimage.
«Today we ask for world peace, for the union of families and for the protection of children (…) On my neck I wore 70 Indian necklaces. For me it is an honor to once again guide the Escorta de los Indios, just as the late chief Jesús Tereso Sánchez did, “said González, who wears the plume of more than one meter high.
He urged the promisers to recover the true clothing and clothing made with jute sacks so that Unesco recognizes the Marian manifestation.
Exposure
The Movement of Plastic Artists of Ocumare del Tuy (Mapotuy) and the Municipal Autonomous Institute of Culture and the Arts of the Tomás Lander municipality inaugurate an exhibition in honor of the Escorta de los Indios Coromotanos at the José Félix Ribas House of Culture in the town this Sunday.
In the place, the residents will be able to observe more than 15 paintings and three sculptures made by Ocumaran artists.
The exhibition will be open for a week for the enjoyment of children, adolescents and adults.
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Floats were decorated with palms and fruits. / Photos: Airamy Carreño Espejo -
The tricolor shone in the procession / Photos: Airamy Carreño Espejo -
The Indians took the streets of Ocumare del Tuy. / Photos: Airamy Carreño Espejo -
On horseback and on foot, the promisers showed their faith. / Photos: Airamy Carreño Espejo
