The Feast of the Holy Innocents is celebrated every December 28th mainly in Spain and Latin America. It is a date marked by surprises and jokes between family and friends. However, very few people know that the day has a rather cruel origin.
The Christian holiday commemorates the killing of children under the age of two born in Bethlehem, ordered by King Herod I the Great, to get rid of the infant Jesus of Nazareth.
Thousands of children and babies died. They are remembered as innocent for having been “free from sin” given their young age. And in commemoration of them they named the date.
Currently Poland, France, Finland, Austria, Australia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom (and by British tradition Menorca, Portugal, United States, Brazil, Canada and other countries) celebrate a similar festival called “Fool’s Day” by Fools) on April 1st.
Origin of the Day of the Holy Innocents
The Day of the Innocents originates from the moment in which the King Herod I the Great ordered the massacre of all children under the age of two born in Bethlehem. The directive had the objective of eliminating the Messiah and future king of Israel.
According to the Gospel of St. Matthew, those who are called “wise men” today went to Jerusalem to receive the future Messiah. They knew that this moment had come thanks to the prophecy announced in the Old Testament, which said: “When a new star appears in Israel, a new king has been born who will reign over all nations.”
Faced with this, King Herod, caught up in his desire for power and ambition, gave them the order to give him information when they knew where he was. At the same time he ordered the killing of all children born in Bethlehem.
But the Magi, guided by the star, arrived first and found the child Jesus together with the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, they adored him and offered him their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And they didn’t tell Herod where the boy was.
The king, for his part, surrounded the city of Bethlehem with his army, but an angel warned Saint Joseph to flee to Egypt. Thus, when Herod’s soldiers arrived, the baby Jesus had already left Bethlehem. However, the army killed all the little “Holy Innocents” who inhabited the city. As a result, the monarch became engulfed in deep anger not knowing where the Messiah was.
Although specialists indicate that this event occurred after the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus, the Catholic Church celebrates it every December 28th.
Why do pranks happen on April Fool’s Day?
On this date, naive people are usually played tricks, pranks or deceptions, referring to to the deception of the Magi against King Herod. Furthermore, in the Middle Ages the commemoration of cruelty coincided with a pagan tradition known as the Party of Foolsa day filled with partying and debauchery, mostly held in France.
In some countries the jokes are accompanied by the phrases “that innocence is worth” or “innocent dove that you let yourself be deceived, because on this April Fool’s Day nothing should be lent”, since, according to tradition, what is borrowed on this day it is not returned.
Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.