Mary and Joseph are back on a journey in Barkingside
traveling to the ‘Inn’ on Advent Sunday!

Mary and Joseph returned once again to Barkingside High Street on Advent Sunday, 2nd December, in the form of wooden crib figures.

Following the Mexican tradition of Posada, Mary, Joseph and nine other nativity figures will be spending twenty four hours with each of twenty shops and centres in Barkingside High Street, as well as with five local churches, until Christmas.

Posada is an old Mexican tradition where young people dressed as Mary and Joseph travelled from house to house asking for a room for the night and telling people about the imminent arrival of Jesus in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

On Christmas Eve they would visit the local church to re-enact the nativity and place figures of Mary and Joseph in the Crib.

The Manna House, now reopened following the devastating fire in June, is a Christian ‘Drop in Centre’ on Barkingside High Street (an initiative of Barkingside Christian Centre Project) and again arranged the event.

Photographs:

The Revd Jan Larkin, Pastor, Hainault Baptist Church, blessing the Posada, which is being carried by Sue Catmur.

Lee Scott, MP, Ilford North, and the Mayor of Redbridge, Councillor Muhammed Javed, led the procession with the Posada figures from the Manna House along Barkingside High Street to the New Fairlop Oak.

After the singing of more carols, the Posada figures were handed over by the Mayor of Redbridge to New Fairlop Oak Team Leader Chris Vassilou, to spend the first night of their journey down the High Street.