Festivals in June in San Miguel de Allende

In June, in San Miguel de Allende there are seven main festivals:

• First weeks June, Corpus Christi. Body of Christ
• June 13^th, Festival of San Antonio Padua
• June 17^th, Día de los Locos or Crazy Peoples Day
• Fathers day festival on the 3^rd Sunday of June
• June 24^th, St. John the Baptist, or San Juan Bautista
• June 27^th. Our Lady of Perpetual Succor

 

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Corpus Christi in San Miguel de Allende

The festival of Corpus Christi, or the Body of Christ, in Mexico is also known as “Mules Day.” It is a holiday, which is celebrated nationally. This event honors the Body of Christ, and is marked with processions, music, food and dancing.

The celebration dates back from 1526 when all the artists brought their wares, on donkey’s backs, to the central plaza in the Capital City. Thus, the symbol of the holiday is a “Mulita” or a mule made of Corn Husks, decorated with painted pasta. They are sold all over the plaza.

Toys are a large part of the festival of Corpus Christi. Toys were introduced to the indigenous people by the priests as a way to encourage church attendance. One of the most famous was Tarascas. Tarascas was a wooden dragon with wings and wheels. They were sold outside of the churches. Spanish medieval legend talks about a mythological creature that ate fair maidens and was finally killed by a knight. Over the years. The Tarascas figure and the Corpus Christi celebration merged.

Along the main streets in San Miguel, red and gold, satin and velvet banners are hung from balconies. The streets are covered in fragrant herbs and large bouquets of crimson and gold flowers are placed on the sidewalks outside several grand colonial doorways, openings that ordinarily are entranced to apartment buildings, shops, and restaurants.

There are many altars; all different from the next, in the center of town. A procession will wind its way from the Parroquia thru the herb and flower strewn streets. Stopping at every altar, the men carrying the litter with the Sacraments kneel, a priest takes it inside, and a prayer is read for that family, amplified by the speaker one-man carries over his shoulder.

The people on the street often kneel, make the sign of the cross, and at the same time men remove their hats. A rocket is then shot off into the sky and explodes, either to scare away evil spirits or to alert God of what is going on here in San Miguel de Allende. As the procession moves slowly forward along the prescribed route of crimson banners, a choir sings behind the accompanist who pays a Casio keyboard carried by four boys. Fresh bread rolls, flowers, and herbs are given to the people at every altar. The air is perfumed with incense and the streets become the church, the Body of Christ.

 

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Día de los Locos in San Miguel de Allende

 

Día de los Locos or Day of the Crazies is also the festival of San Antonio de Padua. It is celebrated on the Sunday closest to June 13^th.

Catholic priests in the 17^th and 18^th century presented San Pascual Bailón as the patron saint of kitchen and field workers. They encouraged the indigenous people to dress up as symbols of their jobs and dance to the music of drums and flutes.

Some people dressed up as scarecrows to act as security for the dancers. These scarecrows acted goofy and flapped their arms wildly. People called them “Locos” or “Crazy.” Later people began to dress up in crazy costumes and replaced the costumed “workers.”

The festival of San Antonio of Padua honors Saint Anthony, the patron Saint of San Miguel de Allende. Saint Anthony was born in 1195 in Lisbon Portugal and died June 13 1231 in Padua Italy. He was known as the “healing saint.” The festival and dances of San Pascual were so popular that the priests eventually combined the two festivals.

Today Día de los Locos is a pared of people, often groups of neighbors, families or businesses that dress up as politicians, cartoon characters, animals and transvestites. They dance crazy, throw huge amounts of candy to the spectators, and encourage the crowd to join in.

The parade starts at the San Antonio Church and works its way up Zacateros, Hernandez Macias, insurgents, Aparicio, Nunez, and San Francisco to end at the Central Jardin.

 

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San Juan Bautista in San Miguel de Allende

 

 

June 24^th is the celebration of San Juan Bautista or St. John the Baptist. This festival day celebrates the death of St. John the Baptist. Like Jesus, his death is celebrated, as is his birth. This celebration coincides with the summer solstice, the longest day of the tear and dates back to ancient Roman, Celtic and Germanic tribes.

This was celebrated long before Christianity. This midsummer event is celebrated with an abundance of food, as by mid June the early summer crops were harvested and the other crops were well on their way. Note that June was the best time for a marriage. The full moon in June was known as the “Honey moon” because newlyweds were given dishes of freshly harvested honey for the fist month of their married lives.

This festival lasts four days and starts with bonfires lit on the eve of the festival. St. John the Baptist is the patron saint of the youth of San Miguel de Allende.

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Our Lady of Perpetual Succor

 

On June 27^th Mexico feats and celebrates the invocation of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor, or Nuestra Senora del Perpetuo Socorro Icon. Our Lady of Perpetual Succor is a painting, painted on wood. With a background of gold. It is Byzantine in style and is supposed to have been painted in the thirteenth century. Its origination is unknown but it is thought to be a reproduction of a painting of Our Lady, by St. Luke, Evangelista, painted almost two thousand years ago.

It represents the Mother of God holding the Christ Child whiles the Archangels Michael and Gabriel presented before Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in the picture, is some Greek lettering which from the words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel?

Legend tells of a merchant that stole it and sailed to Rome. While on the journey, there was a terrible storm and he and the sailors prayed to the Icon for help. The holy virgin answered his prayer with a miracle: the storm stopped immediately and the waters were calm. They all arrived safely in Rome. Then, this devout trader prophesied that the rime would come that people throughout the world venerate Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

When the merchant arrived in Rome. He fell ill and his dying wish was to have the painting and paced it into her home. Sometime later, the Virgin Mary appeared to the daughter, and requested that the painting be placed in a church where it could be worshiped. She said it had to be placed between the Churched of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major. The wife then gave up the icon to the Augustunian Friars.

On March 27^th, 1499, the icon was transferred and was worshiped at the church of St. Matthew the Apostle for over 300 years.

In San Miguel de Allende, the celebration starts 9 days prior with fireworks and prayers.