The celebration of the Cruz de Mayo is a religious commemoration whose origin in Latin America dates back to the Spanish conquest.
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At that historical time, the missionaries did not know the language of the natives and even so they had to spread the Christian message. That is how they thought of the cross, an object of easy construction that they placed in sight of everyone in the community. Religious services were held there.
The missionaries founded brotherhoods that were in charge of maintaining the cult of the cross during the month of May, carrying out a procession in which flowers and alms were offered to the holy object, while people were summoned to honor it.
Thus arose the tradition of “Dressing the cross” on May 1, and on the 3rd the festival concluded when the town’s cross was carried in a procession through the town. On the way, they sang and passed through the houses of the neighbors requesting alms, until they were placed on an altar prepared in some building in the town.
The so-called “Feast of the Crosses” is celebrated in cities of Spain, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela.
In many of these places they adorn the crosses with colorful flowers, processions, dances or the wood is venerated in the hills or places visible to the entire population.
This year due to Covid-19, the celebration will still be held following the preventive health measures established by the coronavirus pandemic.
Venezuela
Currently, the Cruz de Mayo festivities are accompanied by different cultural elements that show how the celebration has evolved and has become a true patronal festival.
Different musical manifestations such as galerones, punto y llano, fulías, malagueñas, romances and tones, are what give movement to the party using the typical instruments of the different Venezuelan regions such as four, mandolin, guitar, square drum, maracas and accordion.
During the festivities, drinks and typical sweets are usually distributed that each house in the communities prepares so that everyone has something to enjoy.
The Savior
In the indigenous communities of El Salvador, the celebration of the Day of the Cross heralds the start of the rainy season. To celebrate it, a jiote stick cross is placed in gardens, patios or land where it is grown, and it is decorated with various types of paper of many colors, especially “china”, in the form of chains, curtains and towels; in addition to flowers and fruits of the season such as mangoes, “coyolitos”, jocotes and oranges.
The ritual of “adoring” the Cross is done in the place where it has been placed and consists of kneeling and crossing oneself, making a small prayer and taking some of the fruits that are placed for this purpose.
Mexico
In Mesoamerican cultures, a ritual was performed at the beginning of the agricultural cycle during the first days of the year, which coincided with the celebration of the Holy Cross. His goal was to ask Tlaloc for the rainy season to be generous and thus guarantee a good harvest.
When the Spaniards arrived, many pre-Hispanic rituals were amalgamated with the Catholic ones. The devotion to the Holy Cross was no exception and was mixed with the request for rain. Over the centuries, and after several modifications, this hybrid festival was placed on the first Sunday of May of the Catholic calendar.
On that day the crosses are blessed and adorned with Chinese paper and colored flowers. In addition, it coincides with the day of the mason in the Latin American nation.