El Senor de la Conquista

The celebration of El Senor de la Conquista is one of San Miguel de Allende's most important events. Every year, on the first Friday of March, hundreds of Indigenous Otomi dancers gather to honor a life-size statue of Christ that has been safeguarded in the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel for over 400 years. This celebration also marks the start of the planting season. The ritual is a show of gratitude, as if a good upcoming harvest had already arrived. In this tradition, gratitude comes first , with dancers moving in celebration of the abundance they trust will come, rather than praying for it to happen. The celebration has deep indigenous roots, but also recognizes a historical event involving the arrival of Friars in the 16th century and conversion of Christianity, or at least what's evolved into a hybrid mix of indigenous beliefs and symbols with Christian imagery. Like many other religious expressions in the country, this festivity serves as a living testament to Mexico's ability to hold multiple truths at once: resistance and compliance, conquest and survival, and Catholic and Indigenous religion. The celebration of El Senor de la Conquista is a window into the complex soul of Mexico. It is a fantastic, moving spectacle to behold, and we were lucky enough to witness it yesterday in the Plaza Principal in San Miguel.