In Mexico, the Posada tradition has a young couple dressing up as Mary and Joseph and then spending the days of Advent travelling from house to house asking for a room for the night and telling their hosts about the imminent arrival of Jesus at Christmas.
Our modern day Posada uses a statue of Mary and Joseph and the donkey instead of a young couple to travel from home to home. Posada provides an opportunity for hospitality, a time of prayer with others and a sharing of our Christian faith with family and friends. By hosting the statue you can join this simple but effective form of evangelisation.
Rebecca Bretherton, Coordinator of the Commission for Evangelisation, said: “Since 2020 we have had to find ways to celebrate Advent without visiting each other. During the lockdowns some parishes came up with ingenious socially-distanced ways to do the Posada. But now we can return to the original idea of simple hospitality and prayer. Everyone can join in the Posada this year by signing up to host the statue.
“It’s time to get ready for Advent and to start preparing for your parish’s Posada Journey.”
Every parish in East Anglia has a Posada statue. Posters, a handy rota, prayers and other resources are available on the Diocesan website’s Evangelisation pages here.
Pictured above are Alex and Adam from the Ignite Team with a Posada statue.