The din of Ajijic’s fiestas patronales died down for a short span of three days before the quiet was once again ripped asunder by frequent explosions of the sky rockets that many inhabitants so deeply abhor.

For those incensed by being roused from peaceful slumber by rounds of cohetes fired off at the crack of dawn, understand there’s a reason behind the racket. As is customary here, and in other communities at lakeside and across the nation, the devout are winding up for one of Mexico’s  most fervently celebrated religious holidays, the December 12 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Following traditions that trace back nearly five centuries, the faithful rise early each day of the novenario to pay tribute to the nation’s spiritual Mother. It’s the practice referred to as Las Mañanitas to start the day with a procession and serenade for the Virgin preceding a prayer service, with blazing rockets providing an obligatory wake-up call.

Scotch any thoughts that anti-noise regulations will ever change the custom. The very idea of timing Las Mañanitas at nine in the morning, or whatever hour you might consider less annoying, is simply absurd. The daybreak devotions are in fact most convenient for the multitude of working folks in a profoundly religious populace.

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