Exploring
Colonial Mexico©
Exploring
Colonial Mexico©
January 6th is celebrated throughout Mexico as El Día de Los Reyes, the festival of the Three Kings, or Three Wise Men (Los Reyes Magos) which marks Epiphany and is the traditional climax to the Christmas season, when their images, of Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar, (above) are on display throughout Yucatán and Mexico.
According to Mexican tradition, Melchor is characteristically portrayed as an old white man with a white beard, Gaspar as a young, brown skinned man and Baltasar as a black, although this is not always followed.
Tizimín, in northern Yucatán, is especially famous for its festival of Los Santos Reyes, when the Kings are brought down from their showcases and set out in the church, following which the faithful form long lines to ritually brush the images with fresh green branches that are sold in the atrium.
In addition to the famous statues of the Three Kings at Tizimín, other, humbler but no less meaningful seasonal displays of the images can seen elsewhere in Yucatán: at the imposing colonial churches of Izamal, Ichmul and Chikindzonot.
Izamal
Ichmul Chikindzonot - big kings, little kings
Text and illustrations ©1998, 2010 by Richard D. Perry For more on the fascinating colonial buildings and folk traditions of Yucatán consult our guidebook, Maya Missions Visit our other Three Kings pages: Los Reyes de Cajititlan, Los Reyes Puebla, Santos Reyes Metztitlan, Tlajomulco see our other Yucatan Nativity page Look for our forthcoming page on the Lost Missions of Yucatan
