The World’s Most Dangerous Cultural Traditions
El Colacho
Photo Credit: Denis Doyle/Getty Images
El Colacho, or baby jumping, is a Spanish holiday that dates back to the 17th century. It occurs annually to celebrate the Catholic festival of Corpus Christi in Castrillo de Murcia, near Burgos, Spain. During the holiday, men dressed as the devil in red and yellow suits jump over beds with babies that were born in the 12 months prior.
The mattresses are placed on the procession route, and the men run and jump over the trail of mattresses. Although the origins of the traditional are unknown, the jumping is said to cleanse the baby of original sin. However, the Pope has spoken out against that belief, claiming that only way to be cleansed of original sin is through the sacrament of baptism.
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