Due to inclement weather the 2008 St Johns Posada will be held inside the St Johns Community Center this year, instead of outdoors in the St Johns Plaza as in past years. The St Johns Posada Organizing Committee (which includes me) decided this evening to move the event indoors due concern about consistent low temperatures. A short procession will still occur, but the event will start and finish at the St Johns Community Center.~ 12/17/08

The St Johns Posada will enter its fourth year in December of 2008.  Las Posada and La Pastorale  are traditional Mexican Christmas rituals observed through the country.

La Posada means, the shelter.  In this ritual children of a village form a procession sometimes holding candles and singing.  They reenact the journey of Joseph and Mary in their search for shelter in Bethlehem, the night that Jesus was born.  

Children go from door to door in the village asking for posada, shelter.  At each door the children are refused.  The homes say simply "No posada."  Eventually children come to one home that lets them in.  This home represents the manger where Mary gave birth.  At the home there is a big party with a piñata and traditional ponche (punch), singing, food and celebrating.

For the last four years the Sentinel and a dozen local businesses have sponsored the St Johns Posada, or La Posada San Juan.  Each year almost 250 children and parents proceeded through the town center. A children’s choir leads the candle lit procession, from business to business.  The children sing traditional Posada songs as well as English language Christmas carols.

This year the St Johns Posada be more authentic than ever. The Posada will merge with a traditional Mexican Las Posadas sponsored by Holy Cross church of North Portland  This Las Posadas is an existing processing that happens for nine nights leading up until Christmas. 

This year the procession will lead from the St Johns Community Center to the St Johns Plaza. The gathering will start at the community center's front at 6:15pm and the procession will start at 6:30.  The fiesta with free candy for the kids and a visit from the Three Wisemen will occur in the St Johns Plaza at 7pm and complete at 8pm.

For information on how to get involved contact Jesus Estrada frente_comun@yahoo.com

SPONSORED BY: The Sentinel,  Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association, St Johns Neighborhood Association, North Portland Business Association

 FOR A DISNEY EXPLANATION OF LAS POSADA SEE BELOW