Those days nobody could go out of their houses, as everybody had to prepare themselves to the end of the 5th sun. These preparations involved abstinence from work, fasting and a variety of rituals.
“At sunset on the last day of the year, a procession of priests from the fire cult of Huehueteotl walked from the ceremonial center of Tenochtitlan across the eastbound causeway towards a mountain called Huixachtlan on the eastern bank of Lake Texcoco close to Colhuacan. The summit of Huixachtlan was visible from most of the Mexico Basin. On this extinct volcano was a temple platform. At this time all fires in the Aztec realm were put out and everyone looked toward the mountain's summit. When the constellation called by the Aztecs "the fire drill" (Orion's belt) rose above the horizon, a man was sacrificed on the top of Huixachtlan and a fire drill was placed on his chest. When the first sparks of fire sprung from the fire drill, the New Calendar Round was declared begun and a huge bonfire was lit. From this bonfire torches were carried by runners to every ward of the city where the temple hearths would be lit. The first fires to be lit in this way were those at the twin temple Templo Mayor where the Tlatoani would participate, and later the fires at the Calmecac of Huitzilopochtli and subsequently the lesser temples and Calmecacs and Telpochcallis and lastly private households.” (Wikipedia).
A new era was born and there would be nothing to worry for the next 52 years.
On Friday, there were no men sacrificed and the stability of the universe wasn’t in danger, but it was still an important ceremony. The reason for the New Fire ritual was, this time, to start the traditional tour of the Pan American flame across the hosting country.
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The ceremony took place at the most important archeological spot in the Mexican Central Valley: Teotihuacan. There, just by the feet of the Pyramid of the Moon, the New Fire ritual started with a parade of flags from the 42 participating countries in Guadalajara 2011, according to the official website of the games.
“This magnificent place has been selected to watch the Pan American Flame get lit, which will travel all of the states in our country, expanding the values of the Olympic movement, fair game, and the competition spirit, which will prevail in the athletes of our continent that will join in Guadalajara," said the President of the Mexican Olympic Committee Felipe Munoz.
The Jalisco Governor Emilio Gonzalez Marquez, tried to make of the symbolic ceremony a true beginning of a new era: "The Pan American Torch journey through the entire country starts today as a calling to all Mexicans to renew our commitment to build a better country, a free and safer country."
By the time it arrives to the Omnilife Stadium in Guadalajara on October 14th for the inauguration of the games, the torch, with a design inspired on the agave leaves, will have traveled more than 15,000 km (9,320 miles) and been carried by more than 3,500 runners.
October 9th is the day when the Pan American flame will arrive to the streets of Puerto Vallarta, look for it and be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
