Ecuador’s April’s Fool Day equivalent is not on April 1st

lahora.com.ec reported every December 28 there is no lack of practical jokes or hoaxes’ between friends, so stay very attentive and do not fall for them.

The 28 of December is a day marked by the Christmas dates and to be near the end of year. He always identifies it with jokes and being a fun time, but do we know where this tradition comes from?

The truth is that its origins are quite surprising, the celebration of this day is the commemoration of an episode of Christianity. This is the slaughter of children under 2 years old born in Bethlehem, ordered by King Herod with the aim of getting rid of the newborn Jesus of Nazareth.

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According to the tradition of Catholicism and the Gospel of St. Matthew, when Herod reigned, the Three Kings went to Bethlehem to worship the Messiah led by a star. When Herod found out and for fear of losing his throne he did everything possible to find the child Jesus to get rid of him. Not knowing where he was, Herod ordered the murder of all children under the age of two. By that time, Jesus was in Egypt, his parents had already received the divine message that warned them of what the King was doing. All those babies who died murdered became the Holy Innocents.

Pagan origin

The Day of the Holy Innocents also has a pagan origin that occurred in the Middle Ages. It was at that time that they combined this Catholic celebration with another pagan called ‘the festival of the crazy ones’. According to the story, on that day everything was allowed and nobody could be to blame for anything that was done. The Church saw that such a date, debauchery and the party were too much, reason why it decided that day 28 was a celebration to calm the eccentricities of the people who participated, reason why this celebration has a pagano-religious union.

What is not known is when the Holy Innocents became a commemoration of jokes of all kinds. What is known is the tradition that exists in many countries of Latin America to carry a little monkey hanging from the back. In many parts of the world this mixture of religion and paganism he created a series of celebrations including costumes and organized on other dates.

As a curiosity, in Mexico there is a very popular phrase for the Day of the Holy Innocents: “Innocent popcorn that you let yourself deceive, knowing that on this day nothing can be lent.” What does this mean? That on that day it is important not to lend anything, either an object or money, because the person to whom you give it is free to appropriate it. More and more people fall into this trap, as everyone remembers what day it is.

In Ecuador, for example, the so-called ‘bad passes’ are made, where some news is given with so much power that it is believed. Jokes are also made between friends to ‘make them fall’, like: “You won the lottery, ask for you your ex you still love” and more. (Cosmoastro.com/PT)