Tlapa religious procession features pleas for justice and peace

Thousands of Catholic faithful participated in the annual procession of the Señor del Nicho in Tlapa, Guerrero, on October 23. The venerated image of the crucified Christ, which has been part of the Montaña region since the 16th century, traveled an 8-kilometer route through the streets of the municipality.

Local families traditionally decorate the procession route with colorful sawdust and wood shaving carpets. This year, several carpets featured messages addressing the region's security crisis, including pleas for justice and an end to violence.

In front of the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center, a carpet displayed a message from the parents of the 43 Ayotzinapa students disappeared in 2014, asking for strength to overcome lies. Among those in attendance were Hilda Legideño and Mario César González, parents of two of the missing students, who visited the San Agustín Cathedral to pray for the truth regarding their children's whereabouts.