Thousands flock to central Mexico to celebrate Saint Mark's Day

AGUASCALIENTES, México — There’s a corner in central Mexico where much revolves around a revered saint. The neighborhood’s name? Saint Mark's. The name of the local Catholic church? You guessed it, St. Mark's.

It's no wonder then that the area's most renowned event is the Fair of Saint Mark — a monthlong celebration that starts every year in mid-April, attracting tourists for its bullfighting and musical events.

Last year, 10 million visited the city of Aguascalientes, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) northwest of Mexico City, the country’s capital. But the crowds on Friday were there for something more than just the fair. They came to honor Saint Mark, also known as Mark the Evangelist.

Rev. Abel Carmona, who leads Masses and processions on April 25, when Catholics observe St. Mark's Day or the Feast of Saint Mark, says that “even if the fair’s original purpose was commercial and agricultural, a religious sense was later added to it.”

He says the fair now promotes knowledge about St. Mark, whose relics are kept in Venice, Italy, where the landmark St. Mark’s Basilica is located.

The neighborhood was founded in 1620 as the settlement of “Indios de San Marcos” (St. Mark’s Indians) by Spanish missionaries who built a small church.

A fair was first held in November 1828 in a nearby village, mainly for farmers to offer their merchandise. But after a beautiful garden was constructed close to St. Mark's church 20 years later, authorities decided to host the fair in St. Mark’s, ahead of the saint’s feast day.

Jodie Altamira, 35, grew up in the neighborhood and now helps organize processions and a bazar at the church during the fair, which she says it has been part of her identity, both as a resident of Aguascalientes and a Catholic.

Over the years, Carmona and Altamira grew concerned about the fairgoers' excessive alcohol consumption and now are working to spark a different, healthier ambiance. This year, the neighborhood hosted three lectures about St. Mark’s and the church’s history.

Carmona said this year was special because the community also marked what is known as “the defense of the temple.”

It commemorates a fraught time in the 1920s, when then-President Plutarco Elías Calles planned to set up a Mexican “schismatic” church, independent from Rome. In February 1925, St. Mark’s church was taken by priests loyal to Calles but the local residents staged a rebellion and eventually got their beloved temple back.

“It was a heroic defense,” Carmona said. “And it was significant because it led to Calles giving up on his idea of founding a Mexican church.”

Carmona celebrated Mass throughout the day on Friday. Afterward, a concert was to follow and a procession before sunset.

“Our procession is a public manifestation to say that ‘Saint Mark’ is not just a pagan fair,” Altamira said. “It’s how we celebrate the saint who brought us to Jesus Christ.”

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Hernández reported from Mexico City.