Day of the Holy Innocents


The Day of the Holy Innocents is a tradition celebrated on December 28 in Spain, Hispanic America, and the Philippines. While its origins are religious, based on the biblical account of the Massacre of the Innocents by Herod the Great, it has evolved into a popular secular custom of playing practical jokes, similar to April Fools' Day.

Religious origin

The day commemorates the victims of the Massacre of the Innocents, the young male children of Bethlehem whom King Herod ordered to be killed in an attempt to eliminate the infant Jesus, as described in the Gospel of Matthew. In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, the day is classified as a Feast.

Popular customs

In Spanish-speaking cultures, the tradition of playing pranks is the central feature of the day.

Pranks and practical jokes

Common pranks include changing sugar for salt, placing paper cutouts on people's backs, or telling elaborate fake stories to friends and family. When a person is successfully fooled, the prankster traditionally shouts: "¡Inocente, inocente!" or recites the verse "Inocente palomita que te dejaste engañar".

Media involvement

Similar to April first in the English-speaking world, major newspapers, radio stations, and television channels in Colombia, Spain, and Mexico often publish or broadcast "fake news" stories. These stories are usually retracted the following day or revealed as jokes at the end of the segment.

Borrowing tradition

A traditional, though declining, custom involves borrowing objects or money from friends on December 28. According to the "rules" of the day, the borrower is not strictly obligated to return the item, as the lender is considered "innocent" for trusting someone on this specific date.

Regional variations

  • Colombia: it is common for news networks to air year-end blooper reels of their presenters. In Pasto, the day marks the start of the Blacks and Whites' Carnival with the Arcoíris en el Asfalto event, where people draw in the streets with chalk.
  • Spain: In Ibi, Spain, the festival of Els Enfarinats is celebrated, involving a mock battle with flour and eggs.
  • Venezuela: known as the Fiesta de los Locos in some regions, where participants dress in colorful costumes and masks.

In popular culture