Bertha Mendoza Díaz professes great fervor to the image of the Lord of Huaje

María del Refugio Reynozo Medina.- Seventy-three-year-old Bertha Mendoza Díaz is originally from Jocotepec. She and her brother Cándido Mendoza Díaz grew up seeing the loving devotion to the Lord of Huaje by their parents. The Lord of Huaje is one of the two sacred images of Christ revered in Jocotopec. The other is the Lord of the Mountain.

Their father, Cirilo Mendoza Valencia, one of Jocotepec’s artisan woodworkers taught the trade to Cándido. Cándido, in addition to being a woodworker, is a musician and has been a high school art teacher for 24 years.

Bertha Mendoza Díaz talks about the testimonies of faith.

Because of his great devotion, Cirilo Mendoza always wanted to be one of the organizers of the feast of the Lord of Huaje. Around 1970 he heard that it would be the last year that the Lord of Huaje would be celebrated due to lack of economic resources. 

Don Cirilo went to the parish of Señor del Monte (Lord of the Mountain) to ask to borrow some banners and candlesticks because the precinct of the Lord of Huaje did not have any.

Don Cirilo asked the priest permission to borrow what he needed. The priest told him, “If any of the things are lost, you will pay for them. Don Cirilo replied, “If it is necessary for me to stay and sleep with him, I will.» 

Cándido Mendoza Díaz is a laborer, musician, high school art teacher and professes a love for the Lord of Huaje instilled by his parents.

On the evening of the eve of the feast, a group of helpers set out to close the door when the decorating was finished. The door remained stuck open and could not be closed, even with the help of the others. Don Cirilo remembered that he had promised to stay overnight with the Lord. His sympathetic helpers, Ángel Paz, Benito Inés and Catarino Olmedo went to get their personal items to join Don Cirilo for a sleepless night.  When they returned, ready to settle in, they tried to close the heavy wooden gate one more time. Before everyone’s eyes, the gate closed. “He was testing us,» said one of the helpers.

The first celebrations that honored this Christ were only two days: Saturday and Sunday occurring the days after the January feast. Then the celebration of a novena (nine-day prayers and celebration) was added.

Mrs. Bertha continued with her love for the image of Lord Huaje and was very close to the activities of the temple. Although in the temple a loving contemplation was not always experienced.  She remembers a priest named Emeterio Romo, whose actions were very strange.  He was allergic to flowers. He used to say, why are you having so many parties?”  When he was asked to authorize a party, he was reluctant.

“They are our images of Christ,» the women would tell him. 

On one occasion in 1975 Bertha found out that a meeting was being held to change the date of the feast.  She and other people did not agree and tried to prevent it. In the end, the celebration date was changed to the current one in May.  But the first year of the change they celebrated in January and May. 

Mrs. Bertha jealously guards all the images of the Lord of Huaje that come into her hands

That last January celebration has been referred to as the feast of the excommunicated, referring to the people who participated in it. The first time the celebration was held in May, the organizers sent a summons to the organizers of the January celebration, through the presidency, so that they could borrow the platform. Tempers flared and the two groups were fighting for the platform. The platform was shared and that year the Lord of Huaje had two celebrations and many faithful gathered around the image.

Many stories are shared about this Christ figure. Someone once said that he opened his lips. Some say that sometimes it becomes very heavy to carry him.  Or that sometimes the photos taken of him do not come out.

One time a man promised some banners, but he did not pay for them. One afternoon someone came to the man’s house carrying some banners. “Here are the ordered banners,» he said, and he asked for payment.

Mrs. Bertha professes great love for this crucified man and talks closely with him. On one occasion, her granddaughter had a pickup truck stolen. «Why?» she thought and questioned inwardly; «it was the truck or you,» she heard in her heart.

On one occasion, she thought it was all over, she was diagnosed with a tumor, and the need for intervention was urgent. Before leaving for the hospital, Bertha threw herself at the feet of the crucified one begging for her health. When she was in the hospital undergoing clinical examinations, the doctors found nothing malignant. In her heart, she understood that it was Him. “Do I love Him?” she says to me.

“Do I want it?” she says with a faraway look. “Oh, what if I don’t love him!” she says with a frank smile, very close to tears. “I have not only heard about him since I was in  my mother’s womb. I have lived and loved him.” 

Translated by Nita Rudy