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12/1/1999 - “Sacred Walk” by Susan L. Sterner

Sacred Walk December JUAZEIRODONORTE Cear Brazil Peter BirdMartin Institute ofCurrentWorldAffairs FourWestWheelockRoad Hanover NewHampshire 03755 Dear Peter Halfawakeandchokingdownadrygranolabar Isteppedfromthecar andintothecolddrizzleofmistshroudingthehilltop Aswirlof littleboys sellingcandlesflutteredaroundme Ismiledthemaway apologizingfornot being pilgrim Behind corner parking gardgroup ofmensentbottle rocketsand strings offirecrackerswhistling andpopping ridge Daybreakwas announced faithful comed Abovemeloomed meter statue ofPadre Cicero unofficial patron saint Juazeiro Norte Cear State overgrown nestled onthehillyedgeofCear sserto drylands Stillpartiallyobscuredbythe Padre blank sandstone stared Cariri valley theawakeningtownbelow He saint His weren turned heaven pious supplication Helooked tight crisp andbusiness clutch century stylebowler The sight ofhimmoved others Already people climbing narrow stairs skirts vestments bending theirheads against stone praying promisingand crying We myhusband Tyrone Marcelo friend fromSoPaulo stopped small shack andwasheddownchunks ofrough cornbread wrapped pieces ofbutcherpaperwithcoffeesosweetthe lastswallowwasachewable coffee grounds undissolved sugar Few others stopped Peoplepassed quicklythroughthe raintothe statue tomass tobuycandles Alastdrybite ofbread andwejoinedthegrowingstreamofbelieversthrough cobblestone aisles toward Santa sepulcre small covered smoothbouldersand chapels Themuddypathcutablood redribbonalongthetop ofthe meterridge Hillsofreedygrass coloredgreen yellowandsmokyblue sloped They forever rolling colors glowing morninglight interruptedbythe occasionalscorched treeskeletonsleftfrom field clearings We flowed pilgrims Some dressed black sackcloth symbolize their connection Padre Cicero Sunday finery prepared manybarefootbychoice others inwhatseemed their clothing Voices Hail Mary gossip reminiscences Photo Tyrone Turner Seu Valdostandson thepath toSantaSepulcreatsunseton lastdayofthepilgrimage Yearsagohewasshot The received public hospital Fortaleza Cear negligent within gangrene andtetanus Asa result losttheentirearm SaySeu Valdo Atnightwhen Idreammyarm iswithme His resilienceandpeacewithhissituationwereinspiringandhumbling spilgrimage The scratchyvoices ofolderwomen floated theymatched themomentumof their walkto songs eerieminorkeys They virtues Padre Cicero defender people Wepassed clusters ofchildrenhuddledunderbits plastic along pathway Their voices simple melodies about pilgrims coming thank Padre Cicero Their sweet voices major slightly mixed tired haunting laments women The music stretched silence animmeasurable distance Theraincontinued andwe walked Amanwith Seu Valdo tipped askedfora littlehelp inthenameofGod Howmany timeshadpeoplesaidthatsamephrasetomeinthestreets Recife Rio Janeiro SoPaulo Salvador But knowingtheythought Iwaswalkingwiththemercyof God heart words meant stretchedhandlookedmoreempty ifthat spossible Seu Valdohad hisarm afterbeing shotthough thehand andreceivingnegligenttreatmentinapublicemergency Withindaysgangreneandtetanus Asmall woundto thehandbecamethe ofanarm Yet Seu Valdo memories horrible inhis The surgeonadmiredhis fortitude They touch Doyoufeel anger SeuV Anger MyDaughter NoIdonotfeelanger Iam aliveandtheLordhasblessedme Iamstrong Atnight whenIdreammyarmiswithme Furtherup amanwith crippledhe couldnotunbendthemfromhischestlayonawornblan stranded onitsback Hetalked crophonetapedtohis Thecordrantoa dilapidated amplifierpoweredbyacarbattery Forgive hewheezed Forgiveandbegenerousoftheheart Coinsdropped cracked Surfer Barbiebucketbyhis chest Beyondhim asmalltentcoveredawomanwrapped inbandages Herdaughterforgot allholymessagesand begged Please woman Please family The sunburnedawaythe mistandboiled ajust breathablehumidity Pilgrimsrestedundermake shifttents setupbyfamiliescampingthere selldrinks snacks roasted chicken official Padre Cicero ingsalve Enterprisingindividualshustledthroughthe crowdsto findabit ofshadeand anice rockonwhichto SLS setup Everythingwasfor hairbrushes perfume sandals presumablytospiffuponthedescent We slipped through rocks marking entrance Santa Sepulcre rocky outcropping covered twist paths giant boulders beautiful trees tinychapels Pilgrimssnappedupboxesofcandles three reais piece climbed chapels androcks Theairwasacridwithsmokefromthecandles andfilledwiththesoundofhotwaxsizzlingonthe soaked ground Crackle Pop Our Father mixed together Old women crawled through brush collecting berries peeling trees stabbing branches above fruit remedies potent ingredients gathered fromholy sites Herbaliststhoughtso Theyhadhauled pounds powders plants barks along pathways Pray health drink Icrawledaboveontherocks photographingandtry capture happening before I dered across group people wiggling rough tunnel faith Over historyofthepilgrimageeverynookandcranny hadbecomeatestoffaith Therewaslaughingandpanic clouded faces challengeswere calculated The minor voices thewomensinging passed again I hopped rocks wriggled through crowds until I found Leading Maria dressed inwhite sackclothand untied Pilgrimswaitinlineunderagruelingsunfortheirchancetoscrapetheirbacksagainstabouldersaidtocurespinal Amotherand daughter through puddles slide their backs against giant boulder spinal andgeneral aches Seventy oldMariasingsandmoansherwaythroughaholy testofrock Mariahasnevermissedapilgrimage in37yearsandhastaken itashermissiontoteachyoungerwomenabouttheproperwaytopaytheirpromises Shewasleading agroupofwomenthroughthe obstacle course faith She climbed boulderwithahugebranchpokingverticallyfromacrack running center She Padre Cicero guidesmyheart andwiggled through safely Whatdoesthismean Iaskedthewomannearest This therock Ifyoucannotpassthrough thenyourheart isheavywith Whathappensifyougetstuck You there Someone priest 4kmaway andhecomestohearyourconfession Youcleanseyourselfandthenyouarefree ofsinandthe Whatifyou rejustalittletoofatto fitthrough Maybeyour table I IfollowedMariaandhercompanions allfromatiny hamlet truck hours state Bahia Do youmindifIfollowyourgroup forwhile Iwanttopho tograph happening I I under stand Oh Youcomewithus We llteachyouhowit replied Maria Still singing Maria group woods Therewereno other pilgrims around She approached boulder height narrow crack through thecenter asifstruckbyathunderbolt Mariafretted Wasshe stillpureenoughtoge tthrough Iwondered shewas stillagileenough Ihadvisionsofrunningfour kilometers priest ambulance Al mostreadingmymind Mariarubbedherbellyand little weight strength The other women crack looked nervous Resolute Maria slapped rockand tookupherhymn She climbed slipped right gingerly thebase ofthe opening She inhaled pulled after while humming inhaling deeply trying thinner Her barely reached ground inched through crack looking breathing centrating Herjourneylastedtenagonizedminutes On other refused climbing anklesbloodyfromthe tight fitandherbreathcomingin SLS gulps Theotherssmiled Theywantedtobejustas Didyoutakemypicture Maria gasped Yes IthinkImadeaniceimageofyou Doyouwant metosend ittoyou No I remembrance andthis myfaith Maria sangand guided thewomenthrough ofthe trials I leftthemwigglingtheirbacksidesagainst bless their backs spinal column problems I found Marcelo Tyrone walked dried orange bottleneckedwithpilgrims The atmospherehad changed sacredwalk boisterous outing The hundreds ofpilgrimswhohad fulfilled their promises slipped through rocks kissed images litcandlesandknelttoprayatsanta sepulcrewere lightheaded redemption Chatterwas laugh giddy Makeshift grills overflowed faithful munching chicken guzzling drinks sipping grain alcohol As their giant Padre Cicero weaving through surge penitents coming pilgrims parsimoniously doled spare change children crippled singing praying patiently along pathway It hadreviewedthe galleryofpoorandjudgedwhowould The looming statue ofPadre Cicero stands crowds offaithful The statue third largestin theworld followingonlytheStatueof LibertyandtheChristoverlookingRiodeJaneiro I wasstruckbyhowcrankytheguy looks Photo Tyrone Turner Children thesickandthedestitutelinedthepaths leadingtothestatueofPadreCiceroandinto allofthe churches Butthemostunsettlingwerethosethatrosewell beforedawnandhikedup tothehillpathleadingto SantaSepulcre Thechildrenhuddledunderragsand bitsofoldplasticasprotectionagainstthemorningrains They about Padre Cicero their passing pilgrims hopes change orfood Twowomenfrom theneighboringstateofPernambuco takeasmokers breakbetweencrawlingthrough overandunderholy rockonSantaSepulcre whereeverycornerofthe hillhasbeenturnedintoaholy shrineorprayer The pilgrimages ofJuazeiro Norte ofcelebration Onefamilywe metgathered theater Carnaval costum handed neighborhood children They marched danced throughtown Forfun Andfor SLS behelpedmostbytheirpreciouspennies Thepoor ingwith miserable Thefrontofthe hillleadingfromtownup toPadre Ciceroislinedwithcolorfullypaintedadobehomes Their small doors common spaces decorated homemadealtars Thehousesramblebackthrough ofadditions porchesandcommunalkitchens Ham mockshangonhooks Belongings Wepeeredintoahousealivewithdancingandfiddle music onlytofind itwasachurchaswell theChurchof SaoGonalvo thesaintwhoprotectsprostitutes nerablewomenand othersexploitedbySociety erful ItseemedaptthatSoGonalvobecelebrateddur pilgrimage Padre Cicero since latter reputation ofdefending theweak addictedand exploited The altarwas filledwith statues saints TheVirgin Thedancers allmiddle agedorolderwomen dressed white swirled small meeting thebeat ofatambourineandthemelo dyofa fiddle Inoneroombeyond dancing afewwomenlov inglydecoratedlitterstocarrylikenesses ofPadreCicero Virgin Mary Jesus Branches plastic flowers andbits ofusedribbonweresewnontoapronswrapped around statue Finally candles prayers The owner church thechurchhadanownerwasahintthatthe serviceswere rooted condombld syncretic religionborn melding ofAfrican slave European Christian tradi tions organizedtheprocessionandledeveryoneoutonto street Alittle girlwaschosen carrythe statue SaoGonalvoandamancarriedalarge cross TheVirgin Mary Jesus andPadre Cicero followed solemn procession through jumble vendors goods spread streets stopped before thetomb ofPadre Cicero thePraado Socorro TheSoGonalvosarrived attheplazajustas amass concluding Inside priest called everyone their thanks The Gonalvos stopped waved crowd They tried dance there enoughroom movedon IntheconfusionIgotseparatedfromthedancersand stumbled three women their seven children seated middle plaza The children mostly nakedwithbloatedbelliesandthe talerustyhairof malnutrition played broken boxes pieces metal When needed relieved themselves The toddlers hooked unhooked ThefourannualpilgrimageshostedbyJuazeirodoNortearenotonlyhugemoneymakersfortheCatholicChurch cityand localmerchants butalsoagoodplaceforthemiserablypoor tobegforhandoutsfrom thosewhohavea Thesewomenhavebeencoming toJuazeirofromanearbyvillage tobegsincetheywerechildren themselves Theyendurebrutalheatandsearingcriticismbutclaim sworth itforthemeagerchangeandfoodthey regiven Photo Tyrone Turner Ayounggirlleansagainstawoodencrossdedicated toPadreCiceroasshewaitsforherfamily tojoinher Thetomb behindh erwasoncebelieved tobethegravesiteofMariadeAruaj6 theblessedone whosemouthallegedlybledeverytime PadreCicerogavehertheholyhost Infact itisnotknownwhereMariawasburied Afterthecontroversysurrounding miracles essentially placed under house arrest andforbidden attend public again their mothers breasts Meanwhile voice riest continued through loudspeakers above church doors worshippers pressed noringthe families attheir feetexceptforodd condemn ingcomments Whatmisery Whatfilth Whatem barrassment bring children theworld Whatanabsurdity Tsk Thebeggarwomenwere atown30 kilometers They could remember Juazeiro Norte during annualpilgrimagesand religious festivalshostedbythe Their mothers brought children hopesofcapitalizingonthe openedhearts ofpilgrims It place familytraditionandnecessity Thewomenalwaysarrived first pilgrimage claimed portion plaza stayed place daring leave formorethan afewminutes someone might their begging Although people cruel things donations change clothing outweighed abuse andfilthy conditions Walkinga straightlinethroughtheplazasandstreets nearly impossible Getting point another required dodging zagging hopping vendors Everything neatly piled displayshelves stackedoncloths carriedonheads There werefood parts posters crockery ofcourse endless versions ofPadre Ciceromemora bilia shell sized pocket sizedandpaintedonbeermugs Thewholetown selling something I reminded Jesus Temple first since hearing passage readaloudinSundaysch Ihadagoodvisualimage togowith story From Recife BR232 highway through state Leaving behind coastal palms breezes wepassedfirstthroughdeforestedfoothillsspot tedwithranchesand smalltownsand descendedonthe other known serto Vegetationthinned Thelandscapettmedtoendlessstretches ofsandybrown earth scrappy bushes broken random green cactus In distance valley plateaus colored yellow dustyhazeofmidday Kilometer afterkilometerwould clickbywithouta signoflife thensuddenlyamanlead donkeywould appear along roadside without hintofeitherwherehewasgoingorfromwherehecame Thetwo laneroad roseand gently Asifflipping through stack sepia toned black white images wedrovethroughalandscape almostdevoid color In SLS spots recent dustings rainhad created refer false green light covering quick growing grasse weeds revive little water andspread acrossthegroundcreatingtheillusionofver Meters scene would return stark dried brown And worse infertilesandsandthecharrednubsofbushesand treesburnedtomakecharcoalforcookingandto sellto regional pottery kilns Asweheaded farther light apprehen settled Wewere worried abouttwo things policeandbandits TheBR232 skirts leyoftheSoFranciscoriver Pernambuco sfertilecres Mega producers everything frommangos tender white asparagus which exported wordwide It Brazil secondmostimportantwine region trailing behind southern states It riddled marijuana production runners bandits News reports firsthand accounts jacking encounterswithgunbarrelshad usonalert It illegal Brazil offer stranded motorists injured But prepare cautioned distance CEARA MARANH O other carsand forno Inresponse assaultson buses cargo trucks private vehicles state bumped police presence highways Police roadblocks perform random document inspec tions tofind stolenvehicles Theysearchtrucksandkeep peeled general But police known sterlingreputationsandwewereworriedabout evitableencountersandpossibletrumped upinfractions atthe checks Thisapprehensioninmind wecresteda figures hooded brown cloaks One anaked Theotherheld asignthatread hunger We slowedbutdidnot stunnedbythespookyscene A yards beyond cluster skinny children their hands As passed young pregnant woman I rolleddownthewindowandtried tohandher bottle ofwater clothingwehad Thechildrenrippedeverythingfrommyhands They screamedandslapped ateach other A swedroveawayI lookedbackto childrenshreddingopenthebag What Were shrouded adults onthe crestofthe hilla trick likesomanyofthedecoy storieswehadheard orhadwejustturnedourbackson hamlet desperation How could theywearsuchoutfits inthisoutrageous Had warped jaded sensational media coverage We drove rattled saddened Maybe becausewewereonourwaytothe first pilgrimage Ihadeverattended Iwasre mindedofthebiblicalstoryof TheGood Samaritan Haditbeenatest Thevio lence ofthe children fight thewater andclothingwascertainlyreal butwere shrouded figures wolves sheep GRANDE DONORTE clothing orjustpartofBrazil shuge abandoned flock J PIAUf Juazeiro Do N PARAIBA Thecity ofJuazeiro doNorte Cear nestledinthe CaririValley claimed Oasis Serto Entering valley everythingbecame green andthe morehumid Sugarcane wavedintheeveningbreeze Thewar light played andyellowfruits ofthe casheworchards makingthemglitter Christmas ments Wehadarrivedinalandofplenty And plenty company Thecharcoal harvested serto issometimes onlyform ofincome familiesunable togrowevensubsistence crops duetoseverecyclicaldrOughts Ironically theburningandcuttingoftreesfeedsthefamilyfortheshorttermanddestroysthe balance water adding accelerating process desertification Northeast The cutting burning charcoal likely since thatwouldbe atodds withone ofthe region sbiggest tourist linked indus tries pottery Theclayintheregionis excellentfor ceramics Theregionisnotedfor artandceramic interpretations oflife Thecharcoalfuels thekilns Peoplehavealsomadeabusinessofdigginguptheclayontheirpropertyandeithersellingitto artists ormakingboth dried fired bricks Institute ofCurrentWorld Affairs TheGonalvowom raisetheirarms inprayerat thesunsetmasssaidattheChurchofHelp favorite ofpilgrims because cemetery wherefamily members Padre Cicero buried Hugeopen trucks riggedwithbenchesand covered flapping tarps rolled We following ofPadre Cicero weout curios Itwasapowerfultide Basedonthepreviousyear attendance 400thousandindividualswereexpected rollthrough thetownover festivities The pilgrimage business seemed Asweenteredtheouterlimits ofJuazeirodoNortewe wereonthebestroadswehadencounteredinBrazil The medians manicured storefronts brightly painted Andaswedrovethroughtown Ididnotseea singleabandonedbuilding Weparkedandmade ourwayto themainplaza As thesunset wewatchedtruck aftertruckrumble infrom across Northeast Families widows farmers ployed handicapped athletes jumped trucks stepped buses disappeared theshadowy pathsand alleys oftown TheChurchwasinhighgear Confessionsandmasses available hours Everywhere looked citywas filledwithpilgrimsandpeoplewhomade their living pilgrims Only night worship persinstorefrontProtestantchurchescouldbeheardsing praying there evidence spiritual ternatives cultishfollowing ofPadre Cicero Padre Cicero saint Not anyway The CatholicChurchviewshim priestwhohelped flock astray Padre Cicero In support because humble origin He support local landowners becausehewasone ofthem Hehadtherespect ofpoliti ciansbecausehewasa politician Andhehadprotection great bandits because wasone ofthem Official saint following large adoration Averycommonsaying Brazil ALmeuDeusdeCeu MyGodinHeaven Itflows equallyfromtonguesinfieryexclamationso rsweetsighs ButinJuazeirodoNortethesayingisALmeuPadre Cicero deCeu OhmyPadreCiceroinHeaven SLS