There are only days left for end the year between Christmas carols, shortbread and shortbread. But he never does without celebrate the Holy Innocents first, that day when mischief becomes the protagonist and jokes come out from under the stones.
THE BIBLE HAS A LOT TO DO
The Holy Innocents have been celebrated in Spain and South America since time immemorial. On this day the dynamics consists of making jokes or creating comic situations of pure farce in such a way that innocence is evidenced who receives that same joke. But it has not always been celebrated in this way, nor is it the same everywhere in the world. In fact, although the origin of the Holy Innocents' Day is somewhat uncertain, everything hypothetically points to a biblical reference. After the birth of Jesus Christ, some scholars from the East (who would go down in history as the Magi) interpreted the birth of the King of the Jews in the star of the East and with this research they made their way and knocked on the doors of Herod I. Great. Such was the fear that Herod felt that the king of the Jews had come to usurp his throne that he ordered the execution of all children born in Judea and under 2 years of age, seeing that the wise men did not return with news. He ruled the day of the execution of the innocents. The Holy Innocents.
Although this account is based solely on the Bible, yes, there is knowledge and documentation that indicates that King Herod was very jealous of his power, controlling and somewhat paranoid of him. Even for fear of losing the crown he had his second wife Mariamna executed and three of his sons, Alexander and Aristobulus first and Antipater later. And all because of rumors that they were going to overthrow him. This is how Mr. Herod spent them.
The slaughter of King Herod.
Most historians point out that, possibly, the interpretation of the "massacre" is what can give the crux of the matter. Herod's massacre could rather be closer to one of those afternoons of executions inside the Court that the king could dictate in one of those attacks of paranoia, more than that of thousands of innocent babies that Saint Matthew wants to tell us in his gospel. Also There is not a single document that allows this fact to be contrasted, so this story is attributed more to legend or myth than anything else. That's not counting that it would be impossible that hundreds of children could die in Judea when at that time it would be a village of about five hundred people, maximum thousand. It would be more than unlikely that almost the entire population were mostly babies. Do the accounts. Pure myth.
However, the legend of King Herod has passed from generation to generation, and has been the reason why the massacre of the Innocents would be commemorated on December 28, coinciding in date with the arrival of the wise men, which apparently caught them midway. Many historians allude to a tradition from the Middle Ages called "The Feast of Fools", which was celebrated around these same dates and in which the world was played upside down, with costumes and feasts. And this festival has been maintained to this day in many places in Europe. Today, every innocent sacrificed has become an innocent who is the victim of a joke, a phenomenon that has even been a goldmine for many media outlets. Well, and this has been the case until the appearance of networks like YouTube or Tik Tok, which make the joke one of its most significant vertebrae, But this is another story.
IN SPAIN WE HAD A BLAST
The most widespread version in Spain on this day is that of play a prank on some innocent who comes across. But in our country this day is celebrated in many and very curious ways. If, for example, we travel to the Valencian Community, we find several very curious celebrations of the Innocents. In Jalance (Valencia) there is evidence that La Fiesta de los Locos is celebrated every December 28 since the beginning of the 17th century. A mayor of the madmen is appointed, who is given a command rod, and will be in charge of governing the town until the next day. You can even get to propose laws that will be in force throughout that day. When night comes, the Dance of the Fools is celebrated, which will be the end of a most picturesque party.
Els Enfarinats, Ibi.
Without leaving the Valencian Community, we approach the Alicante town of Ibi, one of the heavyweights in the celebration of the Holy Innocents' Day. In Ibi they celebrate the Día dels Enfarinats, or day of the floured, an institution in our country. Two groups are formed, those in power and those in opposition, who have taken the government into their own hands. Their differences are resolved in a pitched battle based on flour, eggs and firecrackers everywhere. The day before, the party is announced by the Amantats (mantled) and the final touch is put on by a popular dance to which everyone is invited.
If we move to the Huesca town of Fraga, the friends' clubs organize a real contest based on throwing eggs. In Caravaca de la Cruz (Region of Murcia) the Dia de los Fools also has its mayor who sends the demons who does not comply with his absurd orders. Also well known is Dance of the Fools that is celebrated on this day in the Cordoba town of Fuente Carreteros, where there is even someone who disguises himself as a bear. It will be for options...
Locos and Locainas, Venezuela.
AND IN SOUTH AMERICA…
Most of the celebrations that take place in South America have a more religious background, but in most cases everything ends in the joke that we all know. Such is the religious fervor that can raise this fact that in Antiguo Cuscatlán, in The Savior, there is even a Catholic Church of the Holy Innocents . In that day offerings are made and you can even see floats in a small town that is dressed in lights and flowers and that delights the traveler with a small fair where gastronomy and crafts are the protagonists. And we cannot stop talking about the passion with which people live in certain parts of Venezuela. Mérida or Trujillo celebrate the Fiesta de los Locos in which some parishioners dress in rags and cover their faces. Sometimes there are those who change the role, the old man dresses as a boy, the man as a woman and vice versa. This festivity is also known as the “Locainas”. In other parts of the state of Mérida, what are called “the turns of San Benito” are celebrated, a dance that is performed with ribbons around a stick to pay promises and favors.
Although the most interesting is the celebration of the Zaragozas in the states of Guárico and Lara, very similar to the Fiesta de los locos but with parties and musical ensembles, masks and colorful costumes. In this festivity pieces of the Tamunangue, that part of folklore that unites the indigenous culture with the African and, obviously, with the Spanish. On this day eating and drinking well is practically a motto, making it clear and evidenced that, above all, we are facing a party.
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