St. John the Baptist Day: Drum ringing, Dancing and Faith

Published at: 24/06/2025 09:32 AM

On June 24 , various regions of Venezuela wake up at the sound of drums and under the unison chorus of the phrase San Juan has everything... San Juan gives everything! , kicking off one of the most celebrated religious festivities in the country.

Today, the streets are decorated in red and white to pay homage to San Juan Bautista, a festival famous for its joy, joy, color and magic that enchants those present with the contagious sound of drums, praising the Afro-descendant roots that flow through the veins of Venezuelans.

A large number of devotees await with faith and devotion the celebration of this festival that represents the birth of Saint John and applaud him in style, through the performance of different religious and cultural events during the midnight, dawn and night of the celebration.

For the Catholic Church, the feast of Saint John the Baptist is the oldest of a saint in the Church, which has been celebrated since the 4th century. It is said that since the day of her birth, faith and mysticism have been involved, since her mother Isabel was barren and of an advanced age, which meant that her birth was classified as a miracle.

In addition, his life was accompanied by great acts of faith that made him a simple man, with a high spirituality and a detached character, always willing to give in to the poor, weak and unprotected, was what allowed one of the oldest festivities.

Venezuela celebrates it

Carmen Elena Alemán, author of the book “Corpus Christi and Saint John the Baptist. Two ritual demonstrations in the Afro-Venezuelan community of Chuao”, he describes that the beginning of the festivities of San Juan in Venezuela took place mainly in the areas where the cacao farms were located, where on June 24, the ranchers allowed black slaves to rest from their exhausting daily tasks, “taking the opportunity to celebrate the summer solstice, a time when traditionally the best crops were obtained and in which they had the perfect excuse to relive their rituals ancestors”.

The Catholic Church required slaves to worship Saint John the Baptist and they ended up merging it, giving it their traditions such as drumming, dancing and belief in elements such as fire and water.

Mazo News Team