Festivals in March-April San Miguel de Allende

In March-April, in San Miguel de Allende there are four main festivals:

• The 1^st Friday in March is Cristo de la Conquista or Feast of Our Lord of the Conquest

• March 17^th, Saint Patrick’s Day or Día de San Patricio

• Depending on which month Easter falls, the two holidays, listed below, will be celebrated in either March of April

• Night of alters, Friday before holy week or Viernes de Dolores

• Semana Santa or Holy Week, click here to know more

  Cristo de la Conquista or Feast of Our Lord of the Conquest

The first Friday in March is Cristo de la Conquista “Feast of Our Lord of the Conquest.” This begins the Easter festivities. Inside the Parroquia, there is a 16^th century renditionof Christ made of cornstalks and orchid bulbs. This was thought to have been brought to San Miguel de Allende from Patzcuaro. It signifies the acceptance of Christianity, by the indigenous people of Mexico. The “Feast of Our Lord of

The Conquest” is celebrated with Chichimeca dancers,adorned in colorful pre-Hispanic costumes and plumed headdresses. The dancers’ burn incense and the truly faithful recite 33 prayers, one for each year of Christ’s life. They perform in front of the Parroquia in San Miguel de Allende. Even animals are dressed for the occasion. There are also splendid fireworks at night.

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Saint Patrick’s Day in San Miguel de Allende

March 17^th is Saint Patrick’s Day or “Día de San Patricio” It is an Irish/Celtic festival. It is celebrated by a parade through the city of Can Miguel de Allende and highlights traditional Irish food and music.

In Mexico, Saint Patrick’s Day is also celebrated to honor Los San Patricios aka… The St. Patrick’s Battalion.

The Saint Patrick’s Battalion was a Mexican army battalion made up of U.S. army defectors, who fought in the Mexican-American war of 1846-1848.

Many Irish immigrants enlisted in the U.S. army as a way to gain citizenship. Some were sent “west” to defend the new state of Texas.

During the day, they fought the Mexicans but at night and on holidays, they crossed the border and went to the Catholic Church, played soccer with the very Mexicans they were shooting at only hours before.

After the war, Los San Patricios, were captured and court-martialed. The deserters were branded with a “D” on the cheek. The defectors were hung, in what is considered by some, to be the largest mass execution in military history.

A main reason for their hero status in Mexico is due to their exemplary performance on the battlefield and their heavy casualties from the Battle of Churubusco, considered the Waterloo of the Mexican-American war.

The Saint Patrick’s Battalion has placed the Irish, as an honored race in Mexico. Even today, their importance has not diminished. Many Mexican streets have Irish names; O’Brien became the Spanish “Obregon” in 1959, the Mexican government dedicated a memorial plaque to Los San Patricios. It is in the San Jacinto Plaza in the Mexico Cit suburb of San Angel. It lists all the names of the members of the battalion, who were killed either in battle or by execution.

There was a large celebration in 1983, which the Mexican government issued a commemorative medallion honoring Los San Patricios. There was a special mass held, schoolchildren placed wreath at the plaque, the Mexico City Symphony played the national anthems of both Ireland and Mexico.

In 1993, the Irish stared honoring these soldiers with n annual celebration in Clifden County, Galway Ireland. This was John Riley’s hometown. John Riley was the leader of the Saint Patrick’s battalion.

The commemorative plaque to Los San Patricios Battalion

School kids carrying St. Patick

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