One of the traditions and customs of Querétaro more relevant is the feast of the cross. This feast takes place on Sangremal hill, where it is said that the apostle Santiago appeared. It is characterized by the dance of"concheros", who dance for two days in a row.
Querétaro is recognized for its Christmas celebrations, which last almost two months. They begin with the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 9.
To this party, it is followed by religious theatrical performances and the parade of biblical chariots.
On December 25, masses and dinners are held to commemorate the birth of Jesus. In January, the holidays continue with the day of Reyes. The 2 of February officially end the Christmas with the celebrations of the virgen de la Candelaria.
On the other hand, the region is recognized for its handicrafts. The city of Huimilpan produces a great variety of objects, from woven bags to sculptures in stone. While San Juan del Rio is known for its opal jewelry.
Main Customs and Traditions of Querétaro
1- Gastronomy
Some examples of the gastronomy of Querétaro are:
-Sopa of corn, whose main ingredient is sweet corn.
-Huaraches, fried empanadas stuffed with beans.
-Queterans enchiladas.
- Toast of arriero (roasted tortillas of masa de corn with lard of pork).
Traditional sweets are:
-Tweet sweets, which are made with strawberry jam, peanut or guava.
"Camote, they're sweet potatoes."
-Jamoncillo.
-Capirotada.
2- Holy Week
The holy week, also called major week, is one of the most important festivities of Querétaro.
This week, the Way of the Cross is carried out. This is the representation of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.
The most striking Via Crucis are those of La Cañada. These attract thousands of parishioners and spectators from all over the state and even the country.
3- Festivals of the Cross
The festivities of the cross are made in honor of the appearance of the apostle Santiago in the hill Sangremal de Queretaro.
These festivities take place between 13 and 15 September. On the 13th, a group of dancers (called"the concheros") climb dancing Sangremal Hill, until arriving at the Temple of the Cross. At night, the shellmen continue dancing until dawn for more than 10 hours.
On the 15th, the dances are completed and the mass of the cross is celebrated in the homonymous temple.
4- Crafts
In many localities of Querétaro, artisan works are realized. However, those of Huimilpan stand out. In this city, you can find:
- Hand-woven articles, made of cotton or other vegetable fiber.
-Objects carved in wood.
-Objects molded in glass or clay.
-Work in gold, silver, steel and stone.
- The most talented craftsmen work the stone to produce statues, fountains and reliefs.
For its part, the city of San Juan del Rio is renowned for its work with opals, which are transformed to produce jewelry of great beauty.
Finally, Ezequiel Montes, Bernal and Colon are famous for their woolen fabrics, with designs as complicated as they are beautiful. In these three locations, we can see the weavers in public spaces.
5- Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
Between 9 and 12 December, in Mexico is celebrated the day of the patron saint: the virgin of Guadalupe. At these dates, the apparition commemorates the virgin to a man named Diego.
In one of the meetings between Diego and the virgin, she asked him to build a temple on the hill of Tepeyac with the favor of the bishop of Mexico.
Diego visited the bishop to explain the virgin's request. However, the bishop needed proof that what he was hearing was true.
Then Diego returned to the hill where he had spoken with the virgin, and there he found a flowered rose, which was a miracle, since in the arid zones the roses were not given. In this way, he took some flowers and took them to the bishop wrapped in a cloak.
When he unfolded the cloak in front of the bishop, he revealed the image of the Virgin Mary, who had Aboriginal features.
In Querétaro, the celebrations in honor of the virgin of Guadalupe take place in the temple of the Congregation. This temple aims at the adoration of this invocation of Mary.
Everything begins with a mass in which the miracle of the virgin of Guadalupe is remembered. Subsequently, the parties move to the streets, where tourists and locals can enjoy gastronomic fairs with typical food, concerts and fireworks.
6- Christmas
In Querétaro, the celebration of Christmas begins on December 9 with the holidays of the virgin of Guadalupe and ends on February 2 with the virgin of the Candelaria. During these two months, you will enjoy typical food, works of biblical passages and parades.
On December 25th, a mass is held in the early morning to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. At the end of the Mass, the families return to their homes where they share lunch and Christmas dinner.
7- Biblical Car Parade
The parade of biblical chariots is made in the municipality of Cadereyta. This is a holiday celebration that aims to revive stories of the Bible.
8- Epiphany
The epiphany, also called Kings Day, is celebrated on January 6. On this day, the children receive presents, which represent the gifts brought by the Magi to the baby Jesus.
9- Candelaria Day
Candelaria Day is celebrated on February 2nd. With this date, the celebrations of Christmas are closed. The tradition is to share a tamales dinner.
10- Huapango National Competition
The national contest of Huapango takes place in Querétaro, municipality San Joaquín. This is a musical competition. The participants, organized in pairs, face improvising songs.
References
- United States. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from sunofmexico.com
- Querétaro. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from wikipedia.org
- Why Querétaro? Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from hayfestival.com
- Culture of Mexico. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from everyculture.com
- Traditional foods of Querétaro. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from backyardnature.net
- Popular gastronomy, stand by stand - Querétaro Travel. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from queretaro.travel
- Discover Santiago de Queretaro. Recovered on September 1, 2017, from visitmexico.com