December 27 Feast of the Innocents in Caravaca de la Cruz

Devils and Innocents do battle in the streets of Caravaca!

In the Western Catholic church December 28 is the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents, officially commemorating the Slaughter of the Ininocents in the Gospel of Matthew (in which Herod the Great ordered the killing of all male children under 2 years old in Judea), but in many parts of Spain it is celebrated as a day of pranks and practical jokes in similar fashion to April Fools’ Day in the UK.

This “Día de los Inocentes” celebration was revived last year in the holy city of Caravaca after an absence of 5 years which was brought about initially by the Covid pandemic, the idea being to fill the streets with colour and laughter, and the schedule for the 2025 event (which takes place on the 27th) includes the following:

8.30: Breakfast at the Refugio de la Kábila Abul Khatar in Calle Edith Stein.

9.30: Alarde de Inocentes, a musical parade in Calle Edith Stein, Calle San Simón, Calle Juan Carlos I, Gran Vía, Plaza del Arco, Calle Mayor, Cuesta de Mané, Calle Poeta Ibáñez and Placeta del Santo.

10.15: The investiture of the Innocent at the church of San Sebastián.

11.15: More ceremonial proceedings in the church of San Sebastián.

12.00: Another parade in which symbolic fines are handed out.

15.00: Lunch at the Refugio de la Kábila Abul Khatar in Calle Edith Stein.

17.00: Another parade to the church of Ermita de San Sebastián, during which more fines are issued.

18.30: The powers of the dignitaries are returned in the church of San Sebastián.

19.00: The burning of the figure of Herod in the Placeta del Santo.

The chief dignitaries of these events are the Mayor of the Innocents (Juan Antonio González Perís) and Lucifer (José María Rabadán), while the leading Inocente is Francisco Javier Gallego.
 

For more local information, including local news and what’s on as well as visiting information, go to the home page of Caravaca Today.