SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish held its annual Las Posadas Tuesday night.
Las Posadas is celebrated nine days before Christmas. It recreates Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, where they sought safe housing to give birth to Jesus.
We spoke to Pastor Scott Santarosa about how Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrated.
"What we reenact tonight is Mary and Joseph seeking shelter, then being rejected by people in the neighborhood, and finally finding shelter here at the church," he said.
When the procession ends, there will be a celebration. After arriving at the church's migrant shelter, a big meal of pozole will be served, and kids will get pinatas and candy.
This year, Las Posadas went beyond tradition. Immigrant and migrant members of the church shared their stories.
"The hope is that we connect what happened 2,000 years ago with what we live today, knowing that this is a timeless thing, that people seek shelter, seek safety," Santarosa said.
This is especially true right now. Pastor Santarosa said the upcoming presidential administration brings uncertainty and worry for many.
"What will people experience tonight in walking together is that they're not alone in these hard struggles," Santarosa said. "People will hear their own story when they hear the story of someone else being challenged by some immigration issue."