{{Short description|Spanish festival}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}} thumb thumb '''Baby jumping''' (Spanish: ''El Colacho'') is a traditional Spanish festival dating back to 1620. It takes place annually to celebrate the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi in Castrillo de Murcia, a village in the municipality of Sasamón in the province of Burgos.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7419655.stm |title=Spanish village holds baby jump |work=BBC News |date=25 May 2008 |access-date=6 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2003/06/19/national/photoessay559467_0_4_photo.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030708032359/https://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2003/06/19/national/photoessay559467_0_4_photo.shtml |title=Odd Truth |work=CBS News |agency=Associated Press |date=19 June 2003 |archive-date=8 July 2003}}</ref>
==Description== During the act, known as El Salto del Colacho (the devil jump) or simply El Colacho, men dressed as the Devil (known as the Colacho) in red and yellow suits jump over babies born during the previous twelve months who lie on mattresses in the street. The "devils" hold whips and oversized castanets as they jump over the infant children. Before the jump begins, the devils taunt onlookers until "atabalero" drummers arrive. These pious men signal the beginning of the jump, which represents the devils being driven out and on their way. They jump over the babies, absorbing their sins, taking such sins with them.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/el-colacho-baby-jumping-festival-murcia-spain |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303021411/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/el-colacho-baby-jumping-festival-murcia-spain |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 March 2021 |title=Look Inside Spain's Unusual Baby Jumping Festival |magazine=National Geographic |first=Gulnaz |last=Khan |date=16 June 2017 |access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref>
The {{ill|Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament of Minerva|es|Real Cofradía del Santísimo Sacramento de Minerva y la Santa Vera Cruz}} organizes the week-long festivities, which culminate on Sunday when the Colacho jumps over the babies on the mattresses placed on the procession route traversing the town.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13472 |title=The Baby-Jumping Colacho Festival; Castrillo de Murcia, Spain |work=Whatsonwhen |date=2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529171408/http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13472 |archive-date=29 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The tradition's origins are unknown, but it is said to eliminate the babies original sin, ensuring them safe passage through life and guarding against illness and evil spirits.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/photogalleries/wip-week33/photo2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620020117/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/photogalleries/wip-week33/photo2.html |title=Week in Photos: Glacier Soccer, Baby Jumping, Mudslide, More |work=National Geographic |date=15 June 2007 |archive-date=20 June 2007}}</ref> Pope Benedict XVI asked Spanish priests to distance themselves from El Colacho, as the Church teaches that the original sin is cleansed by baptism.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cleansing evil spirits at El Colacho baby-jumping festival |url=https://metro.co.uk/2012/05/24/cleansing-evil-spirits-at-el-colacho-baby-jumping-festival-452206/ |work=Metro |date=24 May 2012 |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_58DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA126 |title=Celebrating Life Customs around the World: From Baby Showers to Funerals |first=Victoria R. |last=Williams |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-4408-3659-6 |pages=126–128 |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref>
==Colacho in Costa Rica== As an unrelated Christmas tradition, El Colacho (short for Nicolacho or Saint Nicholas) is Costa Rican's version of Santa Claus.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Abril |last1=Mulato |first2=Ramiro |last2=Barreiro |first3=Sally |last3=Palomino |title=Colacho, Santi Clo y otras maneras de decirle a Santa Claus en América Latina |url=https://verne.elpais.com/verne/2016/12/22/mexico/1482369120_530129.html |newspaper=El País |date=23 December 2016 |access-date=27 December 2022}}</ref>
==See also== {{portal|Spain}} *Capirote *Running of the Bulls *''La Tomatina''
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Commons category|El Colacho}}
{{Pentecost|state = expanded}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baby Jumping}} Category:Infancy Category:Catholicism in Spain Category:Province of Burgos Category:Tourist attractions in the Province of Burgos Category:Culture of Castile and León Category:1620 establishments in Spain Category:Festivals in Spain Category:June observances Category:Organised events in Castile and León Category:Demons in Christianity Category:May observances Category:Holidays based on the date of Easter