FIESTA DE LOS INDITOS

Day 245: January 12

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe for children

(FIESTA DE LOS INDITOS), León, Mexico



On January 12, a month after the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Shrine celebrates the "Fiesta de los Inditos," or the "Feast of the Little Indians." Children are dressed in the style of the native San Juan Diego.

On this day, the Leonesi Indians wearing typical traditional Mexican costumes, go to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of Mexicans, in Cerrito de San Lorenzo, from 6 am until 9:30 pm. But the feast, more than for adults is for children, in fact they are the heroes of this day.

Pablo de Anda, the builder and rector of the Shrine of Guadalupe, decided to institute an additional feast the following month. The first Bishop of the Diocese of León, José Maria de Jesus Diez de Sollano e Dávalos, approved it on January 12, 1876 with the name of "Inditos Day."

The parishioners have welcomed this celebration of their affection for the Virgin with great enthusiasm, so much so that it reaches over 30 thousand people every year during the Holy Mass. In view of these huge masses of people, the streets around the Sanctuary are closed, on the other hand several stalls of street vendors are set up offering a wide choice of religious objects, street-food such as tacos and enchiladas, flowers and tourist routes for families. Collective blessings to people, water and religious images are inevitable.

It is a festival that not only commemorates the apparition and miracle of the Blessed Virgin to Juan Diego, but also serves the people of León to keep alive the memory of their traditions, customs and flavors.

Inevitable on this day are the shots of these funny little boys who, with drawn mustaches and chubby faces, wear a reproduction of the famous tilma on their chest.

This tradition then spread to other municipalities and states such as San Francisco del Rincon and Arandas, Jalisco, ... even the girls dress in traditional costumes. Before presenting himself to the Virgin Morenita to receive Her maternal blessing by carrying baskets full of offerings.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"Take into your hands the governing and teaching force of our intellects, the key to our heart, the direction of our lives and affairs, forever."

(Justin Russolillo, Spirit of Prayer, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Fathers, Newark, 1996, p. 153)

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