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Mexico City, December 14, 2005 – “The holiday season brings families and friends closer together to celebrate and give thanks for our many blessings. This year, Mariasun and I are thankful to share this joyful holiday season with the people of Mexico,” said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio O. Garza, Jr.
“As we look back over this year, we reflect on the many challenges that our two countries have faced. Recently, nature has reminded us of our weaknesses in the face of her power; but from these tragedies, Mexico and the United States have emerged with a stronger sense of friendship,” said Ambassador Garza. “Indeed, we were reminded that there are times when we draw strength not only from our faith in the Almighty, but also from our belief in each another.”
“This holiday season, I would like to celebrate our two countries’ shared values and highlight our interwoven futures,” said Ambassador Garza.
 The Ambassador and his wife, María Asunción Aramburuzabala de Garza, as part of U.S. Embassy’s annual cultural project, have chosen the holiday season to unveil a serigraph entitled “Threads from Heaven.” The Ambassador commented that, “the purpose of the cultural project is to showcase one of Mexico’s many artistic treasures – a treasure that can be found hidden away in the drawers within the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico. There, preserved within the Sacristy, are the ecclesiastical vestments used for Catholic Mass dating to the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This exquisite collection of Mexican vestments is unique, and evidences a timeless beauty and craftsmanship.”
Over fifty years ago, most of the vestments were retired from daily use as a result of the reforms decreed by the Church in the Second Vatican Council. In presenting the “Threads from Heaven” project, Ambassador Garza noted that, “While it is impossible to replicate the beauty of these textiles, we hope this serigraph will afford an insight into these national treasures to recent generations of Mexicans and Americans.”
 The Ambassador also acknowledged and thanked several individuals who have made the Hilos del Cielo and serigraph project possible. “In particular, I would like to thank Cardenal Norberto Rivera Carrera for entrusting us with these precious vestments; Sacristán Mayor of the Catedral Metropolitana, Dionisio Olvera, and particularly Sister Sofia, for their support as we worked with the vestments; Dean of the Catedral Metropolitana, Canónigo Licenciado Rubén Ávila Enríquez, for his kind assistance; Padre José de Jesús de Aguilar, Director de Arte Sacro del Episcopado Mexicano, for having been our inspiration; Uzyel Karp, of Taller de Comunicación Gráfica, Juan Salvador of Taller de Papel, and Taller Cuevas, for their creation of the serigraph; and Francisco Kochen, for his excellent photography.”
“We look forward to a New Year of friendship between the peoples of our two great nations – one that brings prosperity, health and joy to all of us,” added Ambassador Garza. 
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