December 28 Feast of the Innocents in Caravaca de la Cruz

Devils and Innocents do battle in the streets of Caravaca!

In the Western Church December 28 is the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents, officially commemorating the Slaughter of the in Gospel of Matthew (in which Herod the Great ordered the killing of all male children under 2 years old in Judea), but in 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 is being revived this 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. The events of the day begin at 10.00 horas with the Alarde de Inocentes, a parade of japesters, and at 11.00 the Mayor names official “Innocents” for the day.

Following this, a confrontation takes place between devils and Innocents outside the parish church of El Salvador and at approximately 20.00 the donations raised will be made public at the church of San Sebastián before the ceremonial burning of a figure representing Herod.

The chief dignitaries of these events are the Mayor of the Innocents (Juan Antonio Peris) and Lucifer (Jesús Martínez), while the leading female Inocente is María José Molero.

For more local information, including the Holy Jubilee Year which comes to an end on December 31 as well as local news and what’s on, go to the home page of Caravaca Today.