Feast of the three Kings

One of the most important holidays of the Christian religion and that is commemorated every January 06 in Mexico is the Epiphany of the Magi in whose date, as it counts the history, Jesus was announced to the world. The Kings also known as the Magi of East it is the name with which there are known the three visitors of foreign countries who came to produce honoring to the Baby Jesus after his birth and delivery significant gifts with a great symbolic wealth: gold, incense and myrrh.

The tradition of the kings' cake dates back to the Middle Ages where they were feasting the above mentioned celebration with a great cake that it was shared by the presents. It was after the arrival of the Spanish to Mexico that this religious tradition was instilled in the prehispanic peoples.

The kings' cake is a oval-shaped sweet bread decorated with dried fruits like figs, quinces, pears, citron, between others. The meaning of the kings' cake has a religious connotation, because within it lies a little boy represents the time when the baby Jesus had to be hidden to protect him from Herod. Nowadays, people from the thread to find the little boy, become the godfathers or godmothers of him and have the obligation to prepare a dinner with tamales and atole on February 02 (Candlemas Day) where invites all the presents.

In Mexico, this tradition is more rooted in the central and southern states of the Republic, and this is the date when the Three Kings (Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar) deliver Christmas gifts to Mexican children, who later in the company of loved ones, share the traditional King’s cake.

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