Festivals in May-San Miguel de Allende

In May, in San Miguel de Allende there are five main Festivals:

• May 1^st, Labor Day or Día del Trabajo
• May 3^rd, Holy Cross Day or Día de la Santa Cruz
• May 5^th, Cinco de Mayo
• May 10^th, Mothers Day or Día de las Madres
• Last weekend in May Fiesta del Maiz

  
  Labor Day

Labor day or commemorates the Mexican workers’ union movements. More specifically, the “1906 Cananea, Sonora,” and the 1907 Rio Blanco, Veracruz labor unrest and repression. It is a National Holiday and government offices, banks, and schools are closed.

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Holy Cross Day San Miguel de Allende

Holy Cross Day is celebrated on May 3^rd. It celebrates the Cross as the instrument of salvation. In Mexico, it has become the feast day of the masons. It started in Spain when faithful Catholics put crosses made of flowers on top of their houses. Later the missionaries brought the tradition to Mexico. In the early Spanish colonial period, on May 3^rd, the priests asked the masons, who were building the churches. To put flower crosses on the highest peaks. Through the centuries, masons made this their own celebration, and they now have a special feast on this day. The festival isn’t only for masons though. Each year, throughout the cities and villages of Mexico, there are processions of singing pilgrims carrying streamers and flowers decorating crosses along roadsides and on mountaintops in honor of the Holy Cross. All over the country, thousands of crosses in streets, parks, cemeteries, and churchyards are decorated to honor the cross on which Jesus was crucified. All of these traditions are remnants of Roman and Druid agricultural and fertility rites celebrating the beginning of summer in countries and cultures around the world.

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Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo, the “Fifth of May” is a National Holiday. It commemorates General Ignacio Zaragoza’s victory on May 5 1862, over French forces in the Battle of Puebla. It was a legendary battle, in which a Mexican force of 4,500 men faced 6,000 of Napoleon III’s well-trained army, the battle, which lasted only four hours, ended in victory for the Mexican Army.

As a new independent nation, Mexico received economic support from a few European nations, France, England, and Spain among them. Thus, Mexico became indebted. Due to ongoing political instability, caused by different factions struggling for power, Mexico was not able to pay back the loans.

On July 17, 1861, President Benito Juarez issued a one-year freeze of foreign debt repayments. In 1862, the three European countries sent their navel fleets to Mexico. They sought money and land rights as repayment for their loans. A Mexican government representative greeted them and explained that Mexico did acknowledge its debts, but it had no money to pay them. Payment warrants were offered in exchange. The Spaniards and the British decided to accept the warrants and left Mexico. However, the French representative did not accept the offer and prompted his troops to invade and head for Mexico City. They had to cross through the state of Puebla to get to the capital.

The Mexican president, Benito Juarez, responded quickly and prepared his defense. He assigned General Ignacio Zaragoza, to reinforce the City of Puebla and drive back the French intruders. The battle wasn’t even. France, under Louis Napoleon’s rule, had the stronger and larger army. He sent, over five thousand men, to invade Mexico.

On the May 5 1862, General Ignacio Zaragoza led 5,000 poorly equipped, Mestizos and Zapotec Indians called Zacapoaxtlas into battle. The forts of Loreto and Guadalupe, in the city of Puebla, became the scene of the legendary defeat of Napoleon’s army. This victory was short lived.

On May the eighth the assault resumed under General Francois Achille Bazaine and the French foriegn Legion. The city of Puebla was captured and the army marched on to Mexico City. The French soon seized Mexico City and in 1864, Louis Napoleon with the help of the Mexican conservative party, deemed Maximilian of Hapsburg, Mexico’s emperor.

Emperor Maximiliano and Empress Carlota

The Catholic Church with the help of successful businessmen, merchants, and great landowners formed the Conservative party. They wished to preserve their privileges at all costs. Paradoxically, Maximilian was dedicated to the new Independent Mexico and shared the ideals of the Mexican Liberal Party. Because of his views, he lost the support of the Catholic Church and the wealthy. In the end, Benito Juarez regained power and had Maximilian killed by an execution squad along with his Mexican generals Miramon and Mejia, in the Cerro de las Campanas, in the city of Queretaro. Maximilian’s last words were: “I die in a cause; I forgive all, and pray that all may forgive me. May my blood flow for the good of this land. Viva Mexico!

Firing squad execution of Maximilian

On June 5 1867, Benito Juarez entered Mexico City where he established a democratic Mexican government.

Today Cinco de Mayo is celebrated all over Mexico but in Mexico City and in the city of Puebla, there are huge festivities.

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Mothers Day San Miguel de Allende

In México, Mothers Día, or Día de las Madres is always celebrated on May 10^th. It is a national holiday. The day is celebrated with flowers, presents, and special programs. Stores give out little recuerdos, or remembrances, to the mothers who come in during the day.

In many Mexican churches, in the early morning, a mass is celebrated at the shrine of the Virgin Guadalupe and they sing las Mañanitas. The virgin is a symbol of motherhood. After mass, they distribute tamales and atole to all the local moms.

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Fiesta Del Maíz

Fiesta Del Maíz or Fiesta de la Santa Cruz occurs about two kilometers from the town center at Valle de Maíz or Valley of the Corn. The festival is from the 16^th century. For the festival, oxen are dressed with lime and painted tortilla necklaces and the yokes are covered with flower and fruit. One of the oxen carries two boxes or “treasure” which is really sugar and bread. It is surrounded by people, riding horses and donkeys, dressed in odd costumes. A fake battle takes place between “Federales” and “Indians.” Then a “wizard” appears and heals the wounded and raises the “dead.”

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