PINNACLE — The Law of Moses commanded that 40 days after a child is born, the baby should be presented in the Temple by the parents. For Jesus, that was Feb. 2 – 40 days after Dec. 25.
That’s why on this day the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
While celebrations in United States feature candlelit processions acclaiming Christ as the Light of the nations, many Hispanic Catholics have a tradition of taking the Infant Jesus from their Nativity sets to church – to the Temple, as it were – to present them to Our Lord. This tradition, known as “Las Presentaciones,” is particularly popular in Mexico.
Mónica Martínez, from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, is a “godmother” of four images of Infant Jesus that Bianet Leonides keeps with special care in her home.
For her, to be a “godmother” of the Infant Jesus is a tradition that she maintains from when she grew up in El Refugio, Ciudad Fernández. “I do practice it with love since I was a child, thanks to the tradition I inherited from my parents and grandparents,” Martínez said.
Anyone with an Infant Jesus image at home can invite a friend or relative to be a godmother or godfather. Their responsibility is to provide the clothes for the Infant Jesus image as well as sweets for the party.
The day of the “lift” is a special occasion – the complete rosary is prayed, and prayers and songs are offered to the Infant Jesus. After the rosary, the Infant Jesus image is “raised” and then the godfathers and godmothers proceed to dress it with baby clothes. People bring their images to church, where the priest blesses them after Mass. After the Infant Jesus image is presented, it is placed on a small chair where it remains until the next Christmas.
Las Presentaciones is all about family tradition, Bianet Leonides’ mother Salustia Gutierrez said. Their family plans to continue the devotion, she said, “so that our children will know where we are from and that which is truly celebrating the birth of the Child Jesus.”
— César Hurtado, Hispanic reporter