Fiesta de San Miguel Arcángel

For Catholics, St. Michael Archangel is the patron and protector of the universal church and is considered the saint of health causes. Its celebration takes place in the streets around the church that bears his name; he is commemorated with a special program including popular masses and festivities.

This event is held every year on 29 September, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel. Since the reform of the Roman calendar in 1969 the three archangels — Michael, Gabriel and Raphael — share that date, and parishes dedicated to any of them keep it.

What a patronal feast involves. The core is religious: a novena of masses in the nine days before, the principal mass on the day itself, and a procession carrying the image of the saint through the streets of the pueblo. Around it comes everything else — an atrium decorated with flowers and paper cut-outs, a fair with food and rides, bands, dance groups and fireworks after dark.

Why these feasts matter in Mexico City. The capital absorbed dozens of villages as it grew, and the patronal feast is often the strongest surviving marker that a neighbourhood was once a pueblo with its own identity. The mayordomía — the household responsible for organising and financing the feast — is a role passed between families across generations.

Practical notes. The parish publishes the programme a few weeks ahead; the fair usually runs for several days around the date. Entry is free. Carry cash and small change, go in the afternoon or early evening, and ask before photographing people.