The Franciscan missionaries who brought Christianity to Lakeside's north shore also gave each centuries-old indigenous village a new name. As the first chapels were constructed in each of the villages, the padres placed the figure of a saint associated with water, fish, and fishermen over the altar and added the name of that saint to the town's original name. Named for Saint Anthony de Padua, the settlement to the east of Ajijic became San Antonio Tlayacapan.
Who was St. Anthony?
June 1 marks the beginning of the village’s annual local fiesta honoring San Antonio, the privileged son of a 13th century Italian family. The wealthy family expected Anthony to become involved in the family business, trading in silks and other bounty from the Orient.
Instead Antonio became a Dominican priest, and then left that order to join ranks with the missionaries headed by St. Francis with hopes of becoming a martyr by being killed by the infidels. He became so ill on the trip to the African coast that he was sent back to Italy immediately.
For years, he lived quietly in a rural hermitage, cleaning the kitchen and hiding his background, intellect and education. When St. Francis of Assisi discovered Antonio's gift for speaking and sharing the scriptures, he sent the humble priest all across Europe where he preached to enormous crowds.
(Left:) Located in the Santa Cruz de las Flores church, this very unusual statue depicts St. Anthony amusing a playful Jesus child. Many more common statues of San Antonio feature him holding the child. (Center:) Residents of Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos will join in the celebration of the San Antonio fiesta. They'll carry with them a likeness of San Santiago (St. James) who is usually shown in dress of the crusades and astride a horse. (Right:)Statues of San Antonio usually show him with the Christ Child and/or a white lily which also represents Christ.
The Saint’s Day and the Village
The fiesta honoring Saint Anthony as patron saint of San Antonio Tlayacapan concludes on the June 13, the anniversary of St. Anthony's death in 1231. Each day of the town's celebration is sponsored by a different village family. There are special Masses, processions, bands, dancing, carnival rides and games in San Antonio Tlayacapan each day of the fiesta.
The events of the patron saint's fiesta of San Antonio Tlayacapan are held in and around the church and plaza of the small village between the towns of Chapala and Ajijic. Many foreigners only see the section of the village of San Antonio that borders the carretera (highway). While Absolut Fenix, Super Lake, Tony's Meats and Restaurant, Vinos y Licores La Paz, Panino, and Mail Boxes Etc. are favorite haunts of the foreign residents and area guests, the charming village three blocks away too often remains unexplored.
The Fiestas of San Antonio Tlayacapan
Although each Lakeside village celebrates its patron saint with an annual fiesta, with fireworks, prayer, processions, music and dance, each celebration has taken on a different personality.
- During Chapala's annual October novena honoring San Francisco the emphasis is placed on the participating businesses and trade unions, and on a spiffy commercialized tianguis (open air market).
- Ajijic residents are strengthening the old custom of daily processions to morning and evening Masses honoring San Andrés, but the November event places a lot of emphasis on the music, food, and drink stands around the plaza.
- In Lakeside’s oldest village San Juan Cosala, the fiestas held in time for St. John the Baptist’s June 24 saints day features many more of the old customs and traditions, and the fiesta focuses more attention on the saint and on the church.
The fiesta in San Antonio Tlayacapan is well known as the biggest party in the area, It's even said that the fiesta's noise brings the first summer season rains. In recent years, devout village families are striving to bring the emphasis back on the patron saint and the church. One way they have accomplished this is by dressing some of the village's children in the brown robes of the Franciscan monks for the evening processions.
St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost items, romance, old maids, boats, shipwrecks and poor people. Statues of San Antonio are prominent in many area churches. In church statuary, San Antonio always wears brown Franciscan robes and often holds the child Jesus, a white lily, or a book.
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