Mexican Embassy treats primary school students to cultural tradition

The Christmas season is over. However there is one festive tradition every year in January. It’s called Epiphany Day, Dia de los Reyes, which is a Mexican celebration that fuses different traditions.  Primary school students were invited to the Embassy of Mexico this morning to partake in the event. Marcelino Miranda, the Embassy’s press officer explains more about Rosca De Reyes.

Marcelino Miranda, Press Officer, Mexican Embassy

marcelino miranda

“In Mexico, we call it the Day of the Kings commemorating the arrival of the three kings that according to the Christian tradition they arrive to visit baby Jesus in order to give him three gifts. So this is the origin of the tradition and that at the same time had incorporated Pagan tradition. It was associated with Saturn and having a special cake for this period of time.  So that was from Roman times. So the Christian tradition adopted this Roman tradition at the same time with the three kings and nowadays we have the Kings’ Cake. We call it in Mexico, is the “Rosca De Reyes.”  This is something very traditional in México. We have it every year, the sixth of January and it became very popular in México that now we have it at work places, at schools with families. We eat the cake on the sixth of January and at the same time; kids receive presents on the morning of the sixth of January. So actually traditionally it didn’t exist this tradition of Santa Claus in México, it was rather on the sixth of January when children received the presents.”

Jose Sanchez

“What’s the significance of the figurines within the cake?”

Marcelino Miranda

“The figurines commemorate baby Jesus and it became popular in Mexico. If someone sliced a piece of the cake and you get this figurine, then in a way you are blessed and at the same time you have to throw a party for your friends. And on February second it’s the commemoration in the Christian tradition of a candle mass. This is a tradition in which the baby Jesus is taken to the church to be dressed up—this is especially in catholic churches. And so the cake has these little figurines and it’s an opportunity to have fun with your friends.”

Marcelino Miranda, a constant face in the media, completes his mission in Belize at the end of this month and heads back to Mexico.