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Feast of the Holy Innocents: why we remember December 28th and which countries celebrate it

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December 28th is Holy Innocents Daya consolidated custom in many countries and used to prank friends and acquaintances.

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However, the history of this tradition is not made up of jokes and laughter, on the contrary. The Day of the Holy Innocents responds to hagiographic episode narrated in the Gospel according to Matthew, about the killing of children under two years of age born in Belén.

This was a order of King Herod the Greatwho was governor of Judea, to get rid of Jesus of Nazareth.

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The Feast of the Holy Innocents was born from the killing of children under two years old.  Painting: The Massacre of the Innocents, 1824 by the painter François Joseph NavezThe Feast of the Holy Innocents was born from the killing of children under two years old. Painting: The Massacre of the Innocents, 1824 by the painter François Joseph Navez

He origin of the name Holy innocents It is because of the young age of the children that they could not have committed any kind of sin. The surprising thing is that over the years this date changed its meaning and the altar boys began to make jokes about this day and the custom passed from family to family.

The Catholic Church commemorates this event on December 28 but according to the Gospel of Matthew the massacre of the children occurred after the visit of the Magi to the king, so it should be after January 6th.

Countries that celebrate Holy Innocents Day

It is a celebration that usually occurs in Spanish-speaking countries, such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay, among others.

although the the celebration was adapted to the different customs of each culture, not all nations commemorate this date on the same day. In other parts of the world it is celebrated on April 1st and has different names.

In Italy, for example, it is called “April Fools”; In Portugal and Brazil it is called “Lying Day”, while in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom it is “Fool’s Day”, among others.

Source: Clarin

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