Venezuela's dancing devils celebrate Corpus Christi
See how hundreds of people in devil costumes stream through the streets in this traditional Venezuelan festival.
When the devils take to the streets
Every beginning of June, hundreds of colorful devils swarm the streets of Venezuelan cities and towns dancing to the sound of drums. The devils are the residents dressed as animals and mystical creatures to celebrate a centuries-old tradition called ''Dancing Devils'' -— one of Venezuela's most exalted religious rituals.
The day evil submits to religion
The festival marks Corpus Christi, the day when, Catholics believe, bread and wine became the body of Christ. But, instead of celebrating the day with Holy Mass and a procession of the Blessed Sacrament, Venezuelans dance to symbolize good prevailing over evil.
Repentant devils
Devotees are members of "cofradias," or religious groups that follow the Dancing Devils tradition. The feast begins with the sound of the church bell. They dance their way to the church, kneel down before the church and pray. Later in the evening, the festival culminates with a mass at which the devils symbolically surrender to the forces of good.
The festival's origins
There are various theories about the origin of dancing devils. Some say that it began in the fifth century in Spain, when the Catholic Church used the dance to attract Indigenous people who were unwilling to give up their ancestral ceremonies. In Venezuela, the church is said to have used the festival to draw African slaves into religious celebrations.
Devils from the sea, devils from the land
The celebrations slightly vary across different cities. Yare's cofradias are famously dressed in red — the color traditionally associated with the devil. But, in Naiguata, which is located on the coasts, the masks are multicolored and often resemble sea creatures. In towns inland, dancers often base their costumes on mythological characters.
Dancing despite COVID pandemic and economic crisis
So far, neither the coronavirus pandemic nor the economic crisis has stopped the festival from taking place. As the country's vaccinations roll out at a very slow pace, many participants this year wore a medical mask underneath their papier-mache costume and tried to keep their distance. Tourists, who used to flock to the streets to watch the ritual, were absent this year.