The Colacho of Castrillo de Murcia

Celebration date

The main day takes place on Sunday following Corpus Christi, so the date changes every year. The rites of the Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament of Minerva extend during the week of Corpus Christi and conclude the following Monday. The holiday itself is not a general public holiday: the work calendar and local holidays must be consulted for each edition.

Lugar y recorrido

The celebration occupies the church and the streets of Castrillo de Murcia. The procession travels through the town centre and stops before altars decorated by the neighbors. Next to them are placed the white mattresses with the children born since the previous edition. After the religious procession, the civic procession traditionally heads to the threshing floor of San Juan for the proclamation in verse, the dances and the collation.

Also check out the festivals of Castrillo de Murcia.

Origin and documented history

The Provincial Council of Burgos places the beginning of this secular tradition in the siglo XVII. The heritage research of the Castile and Leon Board relates its historical testimonies with the rule and account books of the Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament. The festival has preserved a protocol that includes the Eucharistic procession and a masked character of a burlesque nature.

Interpretations of pre-Christian or theatrical antecedents are hypotheses for study, not a proven founding date. The documentation allows us to cautiously affirm that the rite has been rooted in Castrillo since the 17th century and that its current form revolves around the cult of the Blessed Sacrament.

The jump and the procession

In the Sunday procession, one of the Colachos leads the procession and another moves between their ranks. Banners, devotees with candles, dancers, first communion children, those in charge of the brotherhood, the Atabalero, authorities and the guard under the canopy participate. Before each altar, the Colacho takes off and jumps cleanly over the babies; Afterwards, the priest blesses them with the custody.

The rite symbolically expresses the defeat of evil before the Eucharist. The regional heritage source emphasizes that the religious protagonist is the Blessed Sacrament, although the character of Colacho is the most striking element for those who visit the festival.

Characters and traditions

• El Colacho: butler of the brotherhood dressed in colorful bottarga, a mask and a tail with which he runs after those who provoke him.
• El Atabalero: in charge of marking the rhythms of the turns and the dancers with the great atabal.
• Abad, priores o amos y cofrades: They maintain the ritual order, accompany the acts and carry out the appointments of positions.
• Vueltas y corridas: tours through the streets traditionally linked to the canonical hours.
• Colaciones: community distribution that preserves foods such as orejuelas and wine, and at the end bread, wine and cheese.

Reconocimiento turístico

The Official Regional Tourism Portal classifies El Colacho as Festival of Tourist Interest of Castile and Leon and defines it as a religious and patron celebration. The documented distinction is autonomous; It should not be confused with a declaration of National Tourist Interest.

Organisation and participation

The Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament of Minerva maintains the religious and community protocol. The parish, families with newborns, dancers, neighbors and local officials also participate. Those who attend must respect the itinerary, the organizational instructions and the space reserved for children and the procession.

Sources

• Burgos Provincial Council: Colacho Festival.
• Junta de Castile and Leon: heritage study of the masquerade of Castrillo de Murcia.
• Official Tourism Portal of Castile and Leon: classification and description of El Colacho.