Fervor for the Virgin of Guadalupe and Christmas shopping, in the photos of the week

Pilgrimages to the Basilica of Guadalupe they marked one of the most important points these days. For the first time in the recent history of Mexico City, it was closed to prevent millions of people from meeting and spreading the virus between the pilgrims. In addition, the furor for the Christmas season continues among the capital’s residents. The streets look more and more crowded by people who are looking for a specific product to decorate their houses on the way to Christmas Eve.

The capital of the country is on urgent alert, although a traffic light color was not established for the following days, the authorities have called to stay at home and leave only for essential matters. In this context, EL UNIVERSAL photojournalists document the Guadalupan faith and daily life in the streets.

Agglomerations in the Historic Center, by Juan Boites – December 5

Photo: Juan Boites / EL UNIVERSAL

They sent us to look for pilgrimages because Claudia Sheinbaum He announced last Friday that they should no longer wear and we went to see if there were still. We went to the Center, where it is getting more and more complicated. The cameraman, the reporter and I were there. We headed towards that part of November 20, seeing the streets inwards, the transversal streets, there were many people. The reporter goes to perimeter A of the Center every week and was surprised because it was terrible, worse than other days. Suddenly we hit the street next to the Supreme Court and it was an exaggerated matter. We continued walking the cross streets of November 20 and we arrived at Pino Suárez and it was a tianguis, an excess of people. That tells us about the reality of the season, it seems that the priority was to decorate for Christmas and not care to avoid contagion. For weeks we have documented this area, now we have seen great growth in the agglomerations. And there are the results, the City is already in big trouble.

Children without a mask visit the Virgin, by Juan Boites – December 6

Photo: Juan Boites / EL UNIVERSAL

It is a photograph of the Basilica taken last Sunday. I had been aware of the information about the temple, I went the Sunday before they put filters and the Basilica operation began by the mayor’s office. There were too many people, for many people it is very important to bring the Virgin and seek the blessing of a priest. The beliefs are not questioned, but the hygiene measures that we take in the face of the pandemic. They carried images and water to bless them. In addition, in the image you can see how the situation of the children is because as for them there are no KN95 masks, or it is difficult to get them, the ones who are most seen without masks are the children.

A pilgrim heading to the Basilica, by Diego Prado – December 8

Photo: Diego Prado / EL UNIVERSAL

We took this photo on the way to Amecameca. For me it represents momentum and fervor. It is the story of two brothers who decided to make a pilgrimage to the Basilica. The road takes about three days, it is about 120 km, but they had the goal of doing it in two days, with breaks like two or three hours. They knew they were pressured to be on time, so I was in a hurry. We walked with them for about 20 km, they were already tired, but still they continued. The one that appears in the photo is called Genaro, he is from Puebla, he was crossing Amecameca when I photographed him; they should have arrived a couple of days ago. Genaro told us that he had been going to the Basilica for 10 years, he was going to give thanks and ask for health for his family, especially for his four children. He was in the United States for a few years and was deported. He does everything for the family and out of fervor, always with great passion.

La chica pay, a warrior against Covid, by Berenice Fregoso – December 8

Photo: Berenice Fregoso / EL UNIVERSAL

It is a photo that refers to the iconic image that women can do it too. It is the story of a small cake company and due to the pandemic it is about to go bankrupt. In addition, taxes on food platforms were raised in the middle of the years and that has worsened the situation for the girl who started her business. She says she understands her responsibility, but has felt she can’t compete with other large bakeries that have more production power. She told me what happened to make her business survive and for me she is a warrior, a businesswoman who has been a survivor of the Covid crisis and above all she has been self-taught, that is, she has learned alone because she is passionate about making cakes. After hearing his story I was inspired by that iconic image, aside from his dessert tattoos, and I said, well, let’s make that image that you can achieve what you set out to do.

Diableros at work, by Carlos Mejía – December 9

Photo: Carlos Mejía / EL UNIVERSAL

In the center of Mexico City, crowds have been constant in recent weeks, especially now with the start of seasonal sales. I toured the area and was struck by the pair of diableros that were heavily loaded down Calle de Pino Suárez. It was too much load for a devil and for a person, I think they were going to a warehouse or a business, it is easier to hire a devil than a car, apart from that that load would not fit inside a car. The image is a kind of tribute to the devils who are always at work, it is a picture of their daily life, some even from the center walk towards the Tapo terminal, which is located several kilometers from there.

QR, measure ignored in the Metro, by Germán Espinosa – December 9

Photo: Germán Espinosa / EL UNIVERSAL

We took a tour of Metro line 2 where they began to install the QR codes to do the checks and to find out if they traveled with someone who is sick or who is positive for Covid-19. What we saw is that people do not know what’s up, they see the code, but they ignore it, people go on the subway with their dynamics, in their personal logical gait. Users began to see it because we approached to take a photo, only then did people half realize it or ask us what it was. However, we met a person who did say that he was not going to do it for the protection of his data or because he was not interested or was in a hurry. It seemed to me that they are not so interested in this topic.

Families with Faith, by Germán Espinosa – December 9

Photo: Germán Espinosa / EL UNIVERSAL

It was taken on the last day that people could go to the Basilica before closing. It is a family that arrived there, they were tired, the child more than anyone and you can see how he leaned back, while his mother and sister prayed. What most caught my attention was the tiredness and the feeling with which they were praying, especially the daughter. You can tell how they do go with great faith, they even cry. The girl prayed while her mother comforted her. She was the one that was most moved in the atrium.

One day before the closing of the Basilica, by Germán Espinosa – December 9

Photo: Germán Espinosa / EL UNIVERSAL

It is a photo of the same day, before the closing of the Basilica. People entered the atrium on their knees and told them that until there, they could not enter completely like that, but as far as they were allowed. They were already approaching on their knees, praying, to do their bidding. Within all that I liked is that it is his faith, his devotion. He is not a young man, but is risking his health and integrity to fulfill his mandate. It reflects the ability of some people to believe in something.

A beautiful sanctuary with sanitary measures, Jorge Alvarado – December 10

Photo: Jorge Alvarado / EL UNIVERSAL

The image was taken in the municipality of Temascaltepec, in the sanctuary of the monarch butterfly. Some parks are closed in the State of Mexico, so I went to the sanctuary to see how the monarch butterfly season was doing. We arrived and saw that they were giving a course to the ejidatarios on security protocols to receive tourists. In the photo you can see one of them with the butterflies. Like everywhere, to enter you must wear your mask, they give you gel, they put a mat for your shoes and they take your temperature. What I wanted was an image where the butterflies could be seen a little more. It’s a nice thing, a little restricted, but a nice thing in the middle of the pandemic.

Clueless Pilgrim, by Carlos Mejía – December 10

Photo: Carlos Mejía / EL UNIVERSAL

That photo was from the first day of the closure of the Basilica to avoid crowds and contagions of Covid, but there is always someone who did not receive the information. This boy arrived and wanted to visit the Virgin, but he watched for a while and had to return. He was running a tent, I think he was willing to wait long enough to see the Guadalupana. I kept taking other photos. We stayed for about three hours and we only found him, but after a while other people passed by. They saw it closed and left, they did nothing to try to enter. There were more press and police than clueless pilgrims.

FJB

– .