This niche and statue of San Francisco (Saint Francis) can be found at the entrance of the façade looking north of Iglesia de San Francisco El Grande, that’s the one on 7a calle poniente and 1a avenida, shown a few days ago on Details of San Francisco El Grande Church. Niches are among my favorite architectonic elements found through out Antigua Guatemala. As I mentioned in Casa Antigüeña: The Niches, a big part of the beauty of the Casa Antigüeña is found in its details, like the niches that can host angels, owls, figures of Santo Hermano Pedro, Jesus, Virgen Marí­a, et-cetera. It is nice to have a spot light to illuminate the niche at night, but during the day, the wonderful filtered sun light is more than enough.

Without a doubt Iglesia de San Francisco El Grande is one of my favorite churches to photograph. There’s always so much going on there and the fact that inside this temple you can find the remains of Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt makes it even more interesting for people to visit. I also like the architectonic complex

Here are some additional pages with information about San Francisco El Grande church, take a look at them and then share with us which one was your favorite photo or page.

• The San Francisco El Grande Church
• Dome of San Francisco El Grande Church
• Monk in San Francisco El Grande Church

Server issues aside:

I am sorry about the delays and having missed the daily post promise. I had to changed servers and the migration was not as smooth as I had wished. I ended up losing two days of posts, and having to wait three days for the DNS servers to update the new server address. Furthermore, I have been having issues with time outs and out of memory errors that prevent me posting in a daily manner. Please, be patient, I am already working hard to resolve all these technological issues. Things should normalize pretty soon.

Here’s a simple Nacimiento made from corn husks to celebrate Navidad. As I have described before, with the Feast for the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th, people begin putting up their Nacimientos (Nativity Scenes); a tradition that was brought to Guatemala by Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt and then spread to the rest of America (the continent).

One important aspect of nacimientos is that baby Jesus is missing from the scene since his actual birthday is on December 25th. In the mean time, the quest of shelter by Marí­a and José begins; these celebrations are known in Guatemala as Posadas.

Feliz Navidad a tod@s!

Honestly, I don’t think anybody does more for the poor (yes, the poor and not the underprivileged, less fortunate nor any other euphemism one can come up with) of Antigua Guatemala and surrounding areas as Asociación Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro. From the permanent free or heavily discounted (symbolic price) medical consultations offered by the Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro to simple things as symbolic renting of wheel chairs and crutches. The image above your can see people making a line to pick up free gifts given by the Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro.

Now, if you feel like given a little this Christmas, then pay a visit to the web site of Asociación Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro and give them a small donation; surely they will make it go a long way!

One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye. —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

On ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux. —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

It’s nice to see the patients from Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro Hospital or the elders from Fray Rodrigo de La Cruz elderly home enjoying the magic energy found most of the time at Plaza Mayor, better known as Parque Central.

Because of its confortable temperate weather La Antigua Guatemala is also a popular destination for retiring and convalescing. It’s said that Antoine de Saint-Exupéry The Little Prince while convalescing in Antigua Guatemala and Lake Atitlán.

The Little Prince (French: ”Le Petit Prince”), first published in 1943, was voted the best book of 20th century in France, and maintains worldwide sales of over one million copies per year. It has been translated into more than 230 languages and dialects, and has sold more than 200 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling books ever published. It is the most read and also the most translated book in the French language (source Wikipedia).

Don’t you agree with me that there’s a magical energy emanating from Antigua Guatemala?

This sign is posted inside El Calvario Church, in the garden to right where the Esquisúchil tree was planted in 1657 by the Holy Saint Hermano Pedro de San José de Betancourt, Central America’s only Saint. The Esquisúchil tree has aromatic flowers and it is believed to have curative powers. This specific tree at El Calvario Church was declared Cultural Patrimony of the Nation in 2004 (Source: Prensa Libre). Last but not least is its exquisite architecture and mustard-yellow color. Here are the technical specifications of the Esquishuchil tree.

What’s the relationship between Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt and Pope John Paul II you might be asking?

Simple. Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt was beatified on June 22, 1980, and canonized on July 30, 2002 by Pope John Paul II. At the homily read by John Paul II in Guatemala City, on July 30, 2002 [source: Wikipedia]

The sculptures of Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt and Papa Juan Pablo II are only meters from each other which makes one believe the sculptures are commemorating the canonization of Peter of Saint Joseph Betancurt.

Guatemala’s 1976 Earthquake Ephemerides Aside: I was only an infant when Guatemala was struck by the strongest earthquake in about 100 years on February 4, 1976. I have since lived through several earthquakes in California and Mexico, yet the 1976 Guatemala’s quake remains the strongest seismic activity I experienced. The USGS even has it on their Historic Earthquakes page as follows:

The most destructive earthquake since 1917 struck Guatemala on February 4. The magnitude 7.5 quake was centered about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City. The death toll has reached more than 23,000, and thousands have been injured. Damage was extensive. Most adobe type structures in the outlying areas of Guatemala City were completely destroyed, leaving thousands homeless. Transportation was impeded by the many landslides occurring in the area. Food and water supplies were severely reduced. Some of the areas were without electricity and communication for days. The main shock has been followed by thousands of aftershocks, some of the larger ones causing additional loss of life and damage.

The USGS also has 115 photos of the damages caused by the February 4, 1976 Guatemala’s earthquake.

Wikipedia also has a page dedicated to the 1976 Guatemala earthquake:

The 1976 Guatemala earthquake struck on February 4, 1976 at 03:01:43 local time (09:01:43 UTC-6). It was a 7.5 Mw earthquake, centered in the Motagua Fault, about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City, Guatemala. The quake’s hypocenter was located at a depth of 5 km near the town of Los Amates in the department of Izabal.

Cities throughout the country suffered damage, and most adobe type houses in the outlying areas of Guatemala City were completely destroyed. The earthquake struck during the early morning (at 3:01 am, local time) when most people were asleep. This contributed to the high death toll of 23,000. Approximately 76,000 were injured, and many thousands left homeless. Some of areas went without electricity and communications for days. (… continue reading at Wikipedia)

Perhaps sculpture is not the right word, but I can’t think of a better word right now to describe this giant metal image of Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt.

So who was this character who has inspired so many people and that eventually became a Saint? First, here are the archived articles in Antigua Daily Photo related to Santo Hermano Pedro, as he is known now. On October 25 of 2006, I shared with you a forged metal lamp with his image. Remember the monument for Hermano Pedro de Betancourt is on Plaza de la Paz.

Known as the “St. Francis of the Americas,” Pedro de Betancourt worked and died in Guatemala. Pedro was born into a poor family on Tenerife in the Canary Islands in 1626. He worked as a shepherd until age 24, when he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Havana, Cuba he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he got to Guatemala City the following year. When he arrived he was so destitute that he joined the bread line which the Franciscans had established… As quoted from Wikipedia (click to continue reading).

Do you know where is the Santo Hermano Pedro metal sculpture shown above located? Hint the word Cerro is part of the name of the location.

At the end of the mass service for the Feast of Out Lady of Guadalupe while I was trying to get out of the atrium my wife, who was just outside the atrium’s barred fence, pointed out how captivating and alluring was the image of the Christ figure being put down from the cross and all the careful hands over its body. I turned around and walked a few steps to a get the photograph above. The imagery of the Christ and all the careful hands bring the body down was a more authentic enactment than the eucharistic celebration we had just attended. Perhaps that is so because I am visual person.

After reviewing the series of photographs, I don’t know why I associated the above image with the video of Losing My Religion from R.E.M.; perhaps you can help me find out why. I will be looking forward to your comments.

P.S. I was told by clergyman that this Christ figure was also used for the canonization of Hermano Pedro de San José Betancurt on July 30, 2002 by Pope John Paul II.

Even though you may seem Christmas decorations as early as September in Guatemala, the official Christmas season celebrations begins with the Burning of the Devil on December 7. Check out the Burnig of the Devil slide show if you need a photographic overview of this authentic Guatemalan celebration. Once the air is cleansed from evil spirits through the Burning of the Devil, then the Christmas celebrations commence with the Feast for the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th when people begin putting up their Nacimientos (Nativity Scenes); a tradition that was brought to Guatemala by Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt and then spread to the rest of America (the continent).

Tomorrow I will publish the photos of the Burning of the Devil at the end of the day since the event occurs at 6 p.m. in the Barrio de La Concepción. Stay tune for burning coverage.

I want to publicly thank Arturo Godoy for taking care of AntiguaDailyPhoto while I was in vacation and for sharing with us his always amazing sunset and sunrise photographs.

Everybody loves the dry season in Guatemala. Even the patients of Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro Hospital can spend more time at Parque Central more often. I don’t blame them since I plan to visit and hang out at Plaza Mayor as often as possible.

This is what I shared with you before about the Antigua’s Biodiesel Project:

Antigua Guatemala is full of Quixotes who do not know about impossibles. Alejandro del Valle is such a Quixote who after careful consideration decided to take on the gigantic enterprise to convert the burnt cooking oil from all those restaurants around La Antigua Guatemala and Guatemala City into renewal biodiesel energy to be used in the Antigua’s City Hall vehicles and the Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro Hospital.

Come on, if after reading the above paragraph you don’t think you have to be a Quixote to take on such monumental project, just imagine for a second how many people you have to convince of the idea that converting burnt oil into biodiesel for the municipal vehicle fleet is feasible; never mind the ecological benefits. Come on, we are talking about business owners, Antigua’s Mayor and the City Council, investors and a long list of people throughout Guatemala and abroad. Alejandro del Valle and his supportive team did that.

The Antigua’s Biodiesel Project is something I believe in with all of my heart and I will come back to this project to highlight its merits and achievements as well as to show you the story behind the scenes…

Since that article was published, a few things have changed. Biopersa no longer provides biodiesel for La Antigua Guatemala’s municipal vehicles because someone in City Hall decided that biodiesel would damage the engines. However, as you saw yesterday, not only Biopersa, the company behind, the Biodiesel and other renewal energy projects, is still very much involved in ecological energy projects, recycling and the protection of the environment. Now they are selling their biodiesel the other companies, large and small.

Also, they are now converting chicken fat junk or trash into biodiesel. Thus, turning a ecological problem of contamination into renewal energy. Biopersa is becoming a distributor of solar powered water heaters to take advantage of the tremendous amount of sun shine we receive in Guatemala all year long. There’s plenty more, but I will only cover a few more things.

If you’re interested in learning the process of turning burnt oil and chicken fat into biodiesel, let me know I will update this entry with the basic steps that I learned the other day.

Santo Hermano Pedro de San José de Betancourt introduced the Nativity scenes and rituals to the American continent so it is only fitting that he’s portrayed inside the Nacimiento in the Capilla de Belén, located right across from the house where he lived.

This is the second monument I found about the Santo Hermano Pedro. The first one was spotted and photographed at the very entrance or exit of La Antigua Guatemala. Today’s imaged of the Santo Hno. Pedro de Betancourt was photographed at Plaza a la Paz.

So who was this character who has inspired so many people and that eventually became a Saint? First, here are the entries in Antigua Daily Photo related to Santo Hermano Pedro, as he is known now. Back on October 25 of 2006, I posted a forged metal lamp with his image.

Known as the “St. Francis of the Americas,” Pedro de Betancourt worked and died in Guatemala. Pedro was born into a poor family on Tenerife in the Canary Islands in 1626. He worked as a shepherd until age 24, when he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Havana, Cuba he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he got to Guatemala City the following year. When he arrived he was so destitute that he joined the bread line which the Franciscans had established… As quoted from Wikipedia (click to continue reading).

I wonder how many other monuments about the Saint Brother Pedro of Betancourt there are in La Antigua Guatemala; does anybody know about any others?

The two most famous Guatemalan hot dogs are shucos and cheveres. I have covered Guatemalan shucos hotdogs often enough that I believe you know them now. Only once I have talked about cheveres… this is what I wrote:

“Chevere” is a Venezuelan Spanish word which means cool, fine, excelent, okay, just to mention a few of its meaning. Well, about the origin of the chevere word, I don’t know; perhaps it is not even Venezuelan. Nonetheless, the word is understood and used in Central America.

In Guatemala, a company of hot dogs decided to use it as its name in the late seventies or early eighties. The company did things right and it was a total hit and the Chevere brand became almost as omnipresent as Coca Cola, Pepsi and the Gallo Beer. It was everywhere.

The Chevere hot dog is very simple indeed, and maybe that was its strong point. The Guatemalan chevere hot was prepared (and still is) with a bun, one or two salchichas (Spanish for hot dog sausage), grated raw cabbage, mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup; Picamás green chili sauce made from chiltepes was available on request.

I don’t know what happened to the company in the late eighties or nineties, but today you can barely find the infamous Chevere hot dog cart in a few places, like Panjachel, Xela, La Antigua and Guatemala City.

In La Antigua Guatemala I have seen three Chevere hot dog carts: one on the Alameda Santa Lucí a, in front of the Rafael Landivar Memorial; another cart right across the IGSS park on the road to San Felipe; and the Chevere cart picture above right outside the San Francisco El Grande Church (burial home to Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt).

Here is a question for those who have visited Guatemala and for those Guatemalans living abroad, when was the last time you had a Chevere hot dog and where? Did you have more than one?