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sacred image under a canopy [?] slowly above the church up the main street & back again into the church, The native band proceeding & playing rather well. The day before this rumors the priest with the band & several hundred people, mainly women, marched up to the end of town to the house of the mayor-[?] & there taking the wax candles that were preferred for the purpose they marched slowly in [?] procession back to the church where the candles were duly blessed for their next days service- the process was a picturesque one the women with their red, blue and purple jackets & [?] their hair combed & braided so smoothly that it shone in the sun made a brilliant and lively scene as they pound along the narrow street. 

The procession of the holy image was followed by a giant crowd of men, women & children. On the day following this the pries was to bless the holy petitions or [?] for each house so that the family should have good fortune for another year. For this he was paid 25 [cents] by each house which