El Colacho (the Devil’s Leap) is one of Spain’s most unusual and colourful traditions.
Every year, in the small town of Castrillo de Murcia, Burgos, within the Castile and León region, men dressed as devils take to the streets in bright costumes, complete with masks and pitchforks. But here’s the strange part, they jump over babies lying on mattresses on the street.
This festival has been held annually for centuries, with the first Devil’s Leap held in 1621.
The jump is supposed to cleanse the babies of original sin, protect them from evil spirits, and guarantee them a healthy life.
The devils, called Colachos, leap over each baby one by one, and the crowd cheers them on.
El Colacho is part of a bigger festival that includes music, dancing, and plenty of food. It’s a strange but fascinating tradition that shows just how creative and quirky Spanish culture can be.
The Devil’s Leap is held on the Sunday following Corpus Christi.
Corpus Christi is a moveable feast, celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, 60 days after Easter, or, in countries where it is not a holy day of obligation, on the following Sunday. The earliest possible Thursday celebration falls on May 21 (as in 1818 and 2285), the latest on June 24 (as in 1943 and 2038).
