Still Discovering Spain...

You would be forgiven for being curious about the title of this festival because even though Spain boasts some of the most unusual and bizarre festivals compared to the rest of the world, throwing tomatoes over each other as they do in Valencia or being chased down the street by a herd of bulls in Pamplona does not come close to the excitement aroused by the Baby Jumping Festival held each year in Castillo de Murcia.

The Baby jumping (El Colacho) is a traditional celebration dating back to 1620 that takes place annually to celebrate the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi in the village of Castrillo de Murcia near Burgos. Newborns are sprinkled with confetti and flower petals before being laid out on mattresses where men dressed in a yellow and red suits run and hurdle over them. The practice is meant to cleanse the infants of original sin and protect them from future evils. Afterwards, the town is also said to be cleansed of original sin.

The Brotherhood of Santísimo Sacramento de Minerva organizes the week-long festivities which culminate  when the Colacho jumps over the babies on the mattresses placed on the procession route crossing the town. The origins of the tradition are unknown but it  ensures them safe passage through life and guards against illness and evil spirits. 

While there are no reports of injuries caused by the flying devils, the strange practice is frowned upon by the clergy of the Catholic Church with reformer Pope Francis going so far as to ask priests and the Spanish people to distance themselves from the ritual and to downplay the tradition’s connection with Catholicism. The Church still teaches that it is baptism by water, not a giant leap by an airborne devil, which cleanses the soul of original sin.