102 SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



It being Maunday-Thursday, a great ho- 

 ly day in the Catholic religion, I attended at 

 the cathedral, and saw the ceremony in com- 

 memoration of Christ's washing the feet of 

 his disciples. The bishop was out of town, 

 but the same usages were gone through as 

 though he had been present. After several 

 prayers and ceremonies, twelve poor men, in 

 new clothes, were escorted each by a gentle- 

 man of the city to where the dean, attended 

 by his clergy, knelt and washed the feet of 

 each in succession in a large silver vessel. 

 The whole was conducted with much religious 

 pomp, and, at the conclusion, each poor man 

 was conducted home by the gentleman who 

 had clothed and introduced him, and who un- 

 dertakes to maintain him for the year. 



The little church of the convent of St. 

 Monica, for the richness of its vaulted roof, 

 and walls which are entirely encrusted with 

 elaborate carvings, deserves to be mentioned. 



