El Coracho (Baby Jumping)

Every June, the small northern Spanish village of Castrillo de Murcia becomes the stage for one of the world’s most unique festivals: El Colacho, or the Baby Jumping Festival. Held during the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi, this tradition features men dressed as devils leaping over rows of babies laid out on mattresses in the street. Locals, families, and curious travelers from around the globe are drawn to this mysterious, sacred, and somewhat humorous celebration.

El Colacho is not just for villagers—anyone can attend or watch, making it an open and welcoming tradition. It’s a rare chance to experience a living piece of Spanish folklore where the sacred and the surreal blend together.

The Devil’s Leap

Key Events

Costumes and Decorations

The origins of El Colacho date back to the early 17th century in Castrillo de Murcia, northern Spain. The earliest records go back to 1620, and the festival is believed to have emerged from a blend of Catholic Corpus Christi traditions and older European “devil-chasing” and purification rituals. The village’s Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament (Cofradía del Santísimo Sacramento de Minerva) has organized the event for centuries, always holding it on the Sunday after Corpus Christi.

The central figure, “El Colacho,” is the devil in a yellow and red costume and mask, who leaps over the year’s newborns laid on mattresses in the street. This act is believed to absorb the babies’ original sin, misfortune, and illness, protecting their innocent lives. After the jump, the priest’s blessing and a shower of rose petals from village girls complete the ritual, as the whole community prays for the children’s healthy growth.

Though sometimes criticized by church authorities as superstition, villagers have preserved the festival as a rite of passage and a tradition that strengthens family and community bonds across generations. Today, the Brotherhood continues to organize El Colacho, which stands as one of Spain’s most unique “living traditions” and a symbol of local pride and identity.

I came from England to see it. The costumes, the tension before the jump, and the moment when the whole village holds its breath are unforgettable. A local father told me, “It’s scary, but we would never miss it!”

• This festival has been held almost every year since the 1620s, giving it over 400 years of history.
• Despite its dramatic appearance, there are no records of accidents during the jump; the devils are carefully trained and selected from the brotherhood.
• Babies are dressed in white christening clothes, and after the jump, are showered with rose petals as a blessing.

El Colacho (Baby Jumping Festival) is held every June in Castrillo de Murcia.