Baby Jesus by Juana Rodriguez

     Baby Jesus is symbolic to the Catholic Church. They are made of porcelain and sizes range from one inch to a real life size baby. He is clothed in outfits that are hand made by yarn or out of silk like material. The most common outfits that he is put in are outfits that represent saints. Baby Jesus represents Jesus as a baby from when he was being visited by his followers who knew he was coming by following the north star.
     There has been a special day dedicated to him, December 24 in which people celebrate his coming. It is a night ceremony in which people surround him, light candles, two people cradle him and sing prayers to him. When the ceremony is done he is passed around to be kissed and be given an offering or treat by the people who own him. He is then placed in the nativity until February 2nd when it is customary to do the same ceremony again. After his celebration is over it is common to put him at an alter where he is prayed to until December 24 when the ceremony is repeated again.