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Throughout November volunteers
from across the Parish got out their
knitting needles to knit 3 flocks of
sheep who together with a knitted
Mary and Joseph took part in a very
special activity called Posada.
Posada is a festival celebrated in

Mexico although it has its roots in
sixteenth century Spain.

Each evening of Las Posadas, a small group of pilgrims would re-enact
Mary and Joseph's journey. Dressed as the biblical characters, they
visited three 'inns' each evening. By prearrangement, they were
turned away from the first two, but found shelter in the third and
usually celebrated there in some way. On Christmas Eve, the final
lodging for the Holy Family was found in the local church, where
Midnight Mass was celebrated and the Christ-child is placed in the crib.

For each school day of Advent until the Christmas break families from
the three St Alphege Infant School Year 1 classes signed up to host
Mary and Joseph and a flock of sheep overnight. At the end of each day
the couple in their travelling basket was given to the child of the host
family to take home. Mary and Joseph travelled with the sheep and a
sheet of ideas of prayers that could be said as they were welcomed into
the children’s homes and other things they could do and think about as
they stayed with the family. The following morning having chosen a sheep
to keep, the children returned Mary and Joseph to school ready to be
passed on to the next family. The family who hosted Mary and Joseph on
the last day of term committed to taking them to St Alphege, St Michael
or St Helen’s Church for their Crib festival on Christmas Eve.

Thank you to all the knitters, the staff at St Alphege Infant
school and the host families for making this event possible.
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