June 24 - Feast Day of John the Baptist in Sonora
Videos from Yoreme Mayo ceremonies in Navojoa, Sonora
Celebrations of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
June 24 is the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, a major liturgical day in the Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches, and a feast day with great religious and cultural significance in Sonora.
In the Yoreme Mayo pueblo of Pueblo Viejo, Navojoa, celebrations begin on the eve of June 24, where dancers and musicians perform all night in the town’s ramada gathering area.
On the morning of June 24, a procession takes the image of Saint John to the River Mayo, led by matachin dancers, paskolas and deer dancers. The saint is then bathed in the river and blessed, which it is believed causes the waters of the River Mayo to be blessed.
Participants then either enter the river or splash each other with water from the river, a refreshing end to the ceremony on this hot summer day.
Following are videos from the 2017 “fiestas tradicionales” in observance of the nativity day of St John the Baptist, in the Yoreme Mayo town of Pueblo Viejo, Navojoa, Sonora.
Read more about celebrations on the feast day of St John the Baptist and see more photos.
