Guadalajara Reporter - Chapala honors patron saint

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Chapala honors patron saint

Written by Dale Hoyt Palfrey

Saturday, 27 September 2008

Nine days of celebration honoring Saint Francis of Assisi, Chapala’s religious patron, kicked off Thursday, September 25, with a traditional program set to continue daily through Saturday, October 4.

The exhibit of paintings by the late Leopoldo Estrada currently on display at Chapala city hall includes this portrait of the community’s religious patron, animal-lover Saint Francis of Assisi.

The Fiestas Patronales will rotate to different focal points throughout the coming week as an image of the saint makes the rounds for overnight vigils in the town’s principal neighborhoods. The itinerant figure is carried to each successive destination following the evening celebration of Mass at the San Francisco church. It is returned to the parish the following day with a procession that heads out from the north end of Avenida Madero around 6:20 p.m. A float depicting one of the key chapters in the religious life Saint Francis will be featured in each procession.

Look for traditional festivities around the church every evening, with cultural events slated to start at 8:15 p.m. Crowds will also gravitate to the mechanical rides, games of chance and food stalls stationed around the corner along Paseo Ramon Corona. A colorful Castillo fireworks display will be fired up at 10:30 p.m. to cap off the night.

Fiesta Traffic Alert

Fiesta activities will complicate downtown Chapala’s already trying traffic and parking problems through Sunday, October 5. Motorists can expect backups along Avenida Madero while the processions are in progress. Be aware that parking on Paseo Ramon Corona will be restricted to the street’s eastern segment, while through traffic will be cut down to a single lane running east bound only along the lower service road.