Identifier: newmexicolandofd00jame (find matches)
Title: New Mexico, the land of the delight makers; the history of its ancient cliff dwellings and pueblos
Year: 1920 (1920s)
Authors: James, George Wharton, 1858- (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: Boston, The Page company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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is generally formedduring the day, in which the one chosen to be Christ ismade known. He is named by the Hermano Mayor asthe result of a choice by lot — the drawing of straws —or he is named by a vision. For be it known, some of theHermanos May ores openly claim to be the vessels ofheavenly communication by means of visions. The Christ on this occasion drags a rude, heavy cross tothe Calvario, accompanied by several others, either bear-ing crosses, or with cactus bound upon their naked bodies.The crosses are heavy, rudely constructed affairs, beingnothing but heavy poles of unbarked pine, or similarwood, for the standard, with slightly smaller pieces forthe cross-bars. Several times have I tried to carry oneof these crosses, but failed. It is as much as I can do tomerely stand and hold it on my shoulder, but these mendrag them up the hill to the Calvario, and back again.True it is they often faint on the way, stagger and fall,and were it not for the activity of the coadjutors and
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Photograph by Bert Phillips. THE AUTHOR ATTEMPTING TO CARRY A TYPICALPENITENTE CROSS. The American Passion Play 289 other helpers, they might sometimes be severely injuredwith the weight of the crosses falling upon them. In the meantime there are women devotees, who arejust as earnest in their self-inflicted punishments as arethe men. I have not yet learned whether there is anydefinite relationship to the fraternity allowed to women,or whether their activities are purely voluntary. But Ihave seen women with bare feet and legs standing inbeds of cactus, and on one occasion I was asked to goand see a sick woman who had been found, the day be-fore, insensible. On taking off her clothes it was dis-covered that she had wrapped a rawhide riata aroundher arms and legs so tight that blood circulation had beenseriously impeded and infection had set in. When herfriend began to remove the ropes the sufferer begged herto allow them to remain. It is stated that one womanso persisted that the wound

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