Alfombras 2026

Karma enters to see the Alfombras.  My greyhounds have always been welcomed here. An artist finishes the last portion of the whole. We we were the first to see the complete work.

 

Los Alfombras de Semana Santa en La Sagrada Familia Cleveland están listos para ser pisados.

Cleveland is blessed to have a Meso-American community to share their sense of beauty, grace, and devotion of sanctity. 

Cleveland tiene la dicha de contar con una comunidad mesoamericana que comparte su sentido de la belleza, la gracia y la devoción por lo sagrado.

It is a tradition to have colorful carpets of flowers and sawdust to be processed over on Black Friday of Jesus's Passion.

Bad Bunny understood what Jesus taught.

Simple, clear, beautiful — i especially enjoyed this one. I heard it was done by Walter.

 Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the Americas.

Holy Week carpet with palms

Jesus and his cross

The Lost Lamb made with cotton balls and in a patch of flowers.

Mary of Bethany wipes the feet of Jesus with her hair.

Michael defeats the Devil. 

2025 Miscellany #4 — near Easter

Sometimes there is fun at Lake View Cemetery Cleveland. Karma is collared in a daffodil cut out.

Una alfombra de Semana Santa de la Parroquia Sagrada Familia Cleveland

window washer

Many of the plaques were taken for scrap in the Cultural Gardens in the 60s. Noticed five new non-metallic plaques on stones in the Hebrew Garden. Hope the trumpster regime doesn't see this one, the stone will be naked again. It is a quotation on the Statue of Liberty monument.

On April 15th, 2 new flamingos came to Parma. One to replace the original that was stolen, and a larger one, the unused Byzantine Cathedral is in the distance. *

Na Zdrowie (Polish for 'to [your] health', said before a drink), saloons expect to be busy Easter Monday.

Barrel cactus in bloom at Rockefeller Greenhouse, Cleveland.

doggie in the window

Fr. Ben S.J. with Karma

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* flamingo taken on 7 June 2025. Only most of one foot, and the mounting tab of the other remain. One television station said there is "a back-up bird" available.  This is a reason why one has to see and foto very shortly after something is installed.

Alfombras 2024

 

For several years, La Sagrada Familia on Detroit, Cleveland has observed Holy Week with Las Alfombras de Semana Santa (Carpets of Holy Week). They have 33 this year. To-morrow to begin the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) at 11am, people will trample the carpets, and travel to St. Colman, and then St. Michael.  [click for some years prior]

Semana Santa is Holy Week, and these carpets chiefly commemorate Jesus walk to Calvary.

In His Steps. IHS, first three letters of Jesus in Greek, a Christogram

Guatemala may have the greatest devotion to this sacramental practice. A Guatemalan did this alfombra, Su Amor es Infinito, His Love is Infinite. The figures surrounding the alfombra are cucuruchos (the penitents).

This was new to me. A person praying, with Jesus as Lion putting the Dark One to fear.

Every alfombra is not dedicated to Jesus. Here it is Our Lady of Guadelupe, and St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin of Mejico.

De Colores, of colors, is a favorite Mexican folk song. It is the anthem of the United Farm Workers, and is sung by many Catholic groups. Here for Holy Week, it is a reminder of the cock who crowed when Peter denied knowing Jesus.

Jesus and His Cross

There are countries in Central America where the main color in the national flag is of like blue. Eagles are often depicted in crests, and flags. Here a dove of peace is in the blue sky instead.

Jesus the Consoler

There is no Holy Water during the Triduum. Here instead of an empty stoup, there is sand. The next Holy Water comes during the Easter Vigil Mass.

Posing with greyhounds (5) in the gym

Millie Ortiz is pleased with visiting Cassius and Karma

To-day the alfombras are complete and whole. To-morrow they will be trod upon and will be a mixture of colored sawdust. Well, sawdust is easy to sweep.

[click]  Alfombras de Semana Santa at Parroquia La Sagrada Familia Cleveland 2017  [click 2021], [2019], [click 2015],

The parish has made these carpets for Holy Week for some years now. The foto above was taken by John's telephone, the camera i was using this time does not do as well in indoor light.

Holy Week comes every year, but current events are noticed too.