The Virgin of Guadalupe is the nation-building
señora of Mexico, but it is Our Lady of Yucatan who takes the place of highest honor in Merida's cathedral church. The Virgin of Guadalupe is relegated to a side chapel. You can tell you're in a part of Mexico that has not fully adopted the central Mexican narrative of nation-building. [2013]
I have been living in Merida for the past 7 years and am unfamiliar with this 'our lady of the yucatan'. and google search does nothing to enlighten me - can you help? what is her story, and in which iglesia de Merida is she prominent?
ReplyDeletegracias!
Her blue ribbon says Our Lady of Yucatan and she stands in the Merida cathedral right on the plaza grande. My research indicates that she was 'promoted' to first rank only a few years ago. Two interesting aspects of this: (1) competition between the two Senioras as a metaphor for the competition between the Central Mexican narrative of nation-building and the regional resistance to that single narrative; (2)competition between two more Senioras, Our Lady of Yucatan and Our Lady of Carmen, the latter of whom has much deeper roots in the Yucatan and was apparently passed over. Please post anything you find out! D.J.Z.
ReplyDelete