The 400-year-old Spanish tradition of Las Posadas is being celebrated by traders in Marlborough this month, as characters from the nativity make their way from shop to shop along the historic High Street towards the sanctuary of St Mary’s Church.
The procession is a reenactment of the Biblical story of Mary and Joseph’s fruitless search around Bethlehem for a bed, before finding shelter in a stable, where Jesus was born.
Loosely translated, Las Posadas means ‘the lodgings’ or ‘the accommodations’. In Mexico, where the tradition remains popular, people play the parts of Mary and Joseph, staying at a different house in a town or village every night.
In Marlborough, knitted dolls representing the holy couple, along with the donkey immortalised in scripture and carol, will be making their way eastwards along the north side of High Street.
Meanwhile the three kings, or wise men, will be wending their way along the south side of High Street.
The sets will each spend the night in a different shop window, and will be reunited at St Mary’s Church in time for the popular crib service at 3pm on Christmas Eve.
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