CHARLOTTE — It’s not every day that kids get a photo op with the Three Wise Men, but they did Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Mint Museum Randolph in Charlotte as more than 400 people turned out for a celebration of the Epiphany.
Epiphany, which falls on Jan. 6, commemorates the visit of the Wise Men or Magi to the infant Jesus. For many Catholics, particularly in Latin American traditions, this major holiday marks the end of the Christmas season. The feast was celebrated in churches across the diocese Jan. 3-4.
The celebration coincided with the ongoing display of “Art of Devotion: The Santos de Paulo Tradition of Puerto Rico,” an exhibit of 150 traditional wooden saint statues from the larger collection of Francisco Toste Santana and Nitza Mediavilla Pinero. The couple moved to Charlotte from their native Puerto Rico several years ago and have been collecting the traditional figures for more than 50 years.
In Puerto Rico, the Epiphany is a major event, with street processions and appearances of the Three Kings in cities across the island.
The celebration at the Mint combined other elements of Latin American culture with the Puerto Rican traditions.
A Latin American band played vibrant music throughout the day. Lines stretched into a hallway as people waited for Epiphany pastries baked by Manolo’s Bakery of Charlotte. The offerings included a rosca de reyes (Three Kings’ bread) that was so big it took up an entire table. The traditional treat is eaten on Jan. 6 in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, with red and green candied fruit symbolizing the kings’ crown. Some slices include a surprise – a tiny baby Jesus figurine hidden to symbolize Jesus hiding from King Herod. Also on hand were slices of traditional King’s Cake and guava pastries, favorites in Puerto Rico.
Men dressed up as the Three Kings walked through the exhibit, handing out treats and stopping to pose for selfies with visitors. Children, many wearing crowns they had just crafted, walked up to them, fascinated smiles on their faces.
As Jesus Mora, who portrayed one of the Magi, said, “This has been a beautiful day – I love taking parts in events like this and seeing the kids having so much fun.”
Craft tables offered visitors the chance to create their own paper crowns, and at a table run by the Center for Prevention Service they could make a star necklace.
“We wanted to remind people of the guiding star that led the Wise Men, and also remind them that everybody can be a star if they believe in themselves,” said volunteer Ana Calleja.
Betsy Vega of Charlotte worked on a star necklace with son Archer, a second grader at St. Gabriel Catholic School. Vega has in-laws from Colombia and Puerto Rico and wanted to share the traditions with her son.
“It’s just a beautiful celebration, and the art is so beautiful too,” Vega said.
The exhibit had special meaning for people with Puerto Rican backgrounds.
Lourdes Salinas and her husband, Efraín Mujica, are originally from Caguas, Puerto Rico, and have been living in Charlotte for the past three years. They keep their traditions and cultural practices alive, especially Epiphany. The children will fill shoe boxes with grass and place them under the Christmas tree for the Three Kings’ camels. The next day, the grass is replaced with gifts.
“Our culture is extremely important to us, and even though there aren’t many Puerto Ricans here who share this tradition with us, we want to pass it on to our children,” Salinas said. “Seeing this exhibit has a way of transporting me to my home island.”
Yaheira Cepeda, originally from San Juan, made the trip over the border from South Carolina to view the exhibit with daughter Jannel. Cepeda collects nativity scenes and saw an important link between them and the Santos.
“The nativity sets I collect and these statues are all part of a tradition I want to pass on to my daughter, something important to share with her,” she said.
Cepeda teaches Spanish at Northwestern High School and has shared information about Epiphany with her students.
“So many of my students think only about the Day of the Dead in Mexico when it comes to festivals, and I want them to know about the Christmas and Epiphany celebrations, something that so many Spanish-speaking people share – it’s such an important part of the culture,” she said.
— Christina Lee Knauss. Brian Segovia contributed. Photos by Brian Segovia
Art of Devotion: The Santos de Palo Tradition of Puerto Rico
WHAT: Exhibit of more than 150 carved wooden sculptures of saints, holy figures and sacred scenes produced by artists in Puerto Rico.
WHEN: Through July 5
WHERE: Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road, Charlotte
HOURS: 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday Friday, Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday. Closed Monday.
HOW MUCH: Free for members, children 4 and younger, students in grades K-12 and college art students. $15 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 65 and older, $10 for college students with ID. Free 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays.
CONTACT: (704) 337-2037 www.mintmuseum.org
