Between the hustle and bustle and shopping, complaints from some visitors arose about the increase in product prices. Many parishioners complained that the food costs were excessive:Everything is very expensive and the food leaves a lot to be desired.
commented an older adult while disdainfully pushing aside a plate of tacos that cost 120 pesos. Here, some images captured yesterday in streets near the Marian temple.Photo Yazmín Ortega Cortés
One day after the tumultuous mañanitas to the Virgin of Guadalupe, this Thursday the surroundings of the Basilica woke up converted into an improvised market, where faith, consumption and complaints were intertwined.
Flooded with music and prayers, the sales stalls multiplied as if by magic: from clothing with religious prints to Mexican snacks and souvenirs of the Virgin. In a preliminary cut, at 6:30 p.m., Mariana Square had received 12.1 million pilgrims.
The merchants, mostly from different parts of the country, set up their stalls very quickly. The offer was varied: scapulars, bracelets and novenaries for 10 pesos, candles and pork rinds for 15, t-shirts with the image of the Virgin for 120 pesos, and hats, rosaries and ceramic figures, among other items, with prices ranging from 250 and 500 pesos. In addition, there were paintings with gold leaf that reached up to 7,500 pesos.
The clothing items, especially those in bright colors and with embroidered details, were the most requested, and buyers did not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity to take home some souvenirs from this holiday.
The young Isabel Carrasco assured that what really increased the value of her acquisition (a printed t-shirt) was not the design or the emotion of the moment, but rather that she planned to take it to the altar to bless it. Thus it not only becomes a memory, but a tangible symbol of faith and divine protection that will always accompany me.
he assured.
However, amidst the hustle and bustle and shopping, complaints from some visitors soon surfaced. The increase in the prices of products was one of the recurring themes among pilgrims. Many complained that food costs were excessive.
This is not what I expected; Everything is very expensive and the food leaves a lot to be desired.
commented an older adult while disdainfully pushing aside a plate of tacos that cost 120 pesos.
Others complained about the lack of hygiene at some food stalls, especially those selling traditional snacks, such as quesadillas and tlacoyos. The saturation of stalls and the lack of organization created a feeling of discomfort for those who only wanted to access the temple without being interrupted by the vendors.
The commercial chaos reached its peak around 2 p.m., when the streets surrounding the Basilica seemed a maze of sellers and buyers.
Some merchants were frustrated because the flow of buyers was not enough to meet their expectations. A crafts seller commented with discouragement: This year is a little weaker than others, but we have to continue. People don’t buy like before
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More earthly dilemmas
The urban landscape also revealed another aspect: garbage. Plastics, food wrappers and remains of discarded drinks accumulated in the square, a scene that did not go unnoticed by the sweepers, who, with effort and speed, worked to keep the place clean.
With brooms, bags and dustpans in hand, cleaning staff rushed to pick up the waste that attendees left behind.
In an interview, a cleaning worker explained that during the festive day in honor of the Virgin, the amount of waste generated by attendees is overwhelming. In a single day we filled more than 20 garbage trucks with remains of wrappers, bottles and food waste
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536 tons of garbage were collected throughout 279 kilometers of manual sweeping, in which 1,800 cleaning workers participated.
He operational of security and social support, from the capital government, was essential to guarantee the tranquility of the attendees. Since Tuesday, December 6, more than 18 thousand public servants were deployed in the area, organizing security and attending to the needs of pilgrims.
The Civil Protection elements, who were located at strategic points, attended to minor emergencies, such as falls or dizziness due to the heat, and provided hydration to those who requested it.
Today we must be very attentive; You never know when someone might faint from exhaustion or from the temperature, which ranges around 24 degrees.
said one of the paramedics from an attention position.
In addition to the scenes of devotion, a moment that captivated the parishioners was when several dogs were fainting due to the extreme heat, which caused many people to place dishes of water on them and pray that they could find their owners.
In a preliminary report, the authorities of the Gustavo A. Madero mayor’s office reported that 2,401 people were treated medically, 43 missing people were registered; In addition, food was provided to 68 pet dogs, while another 12 dogs will be transferred to the mayor’s veterinarian.
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A team of interpreters of native languages, such as Nahuatl and Mixtec, was also available to facilitate the communication of pilgrims from various parts of the country.
Among the prayers, songs and religious ceremonies, there were people who, as a sign of devotion and gratitude, offered food and drinks to those most in need.
Paola Carrillo, originally from Tlalnepantla, walked from her home to thank that her entire family is well.
At 11 in the morning he began giving away 2,200 cakes and tamales, a display of generosity that moved many. Life is a divine gift, but even on festive occasions there are always people doing business
Carrillo commented while handing out food.
“For four years I have been coming with my cousins to offer food, and I treasure when people thank me. Seeing them smile is worth more than any money.
“The little virgin teaches us to be generous and to bring out the best version of ourselves with others.
Helping is my way of paying tribute to the Virgin, thanking her for everything we have and for the opportunity to be together on this special day.
he concluded.