Dancing Devils of Corpus Christi refers to a set of popular Venezuelan religious festivals held on Corpus Christi, celebrating the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.[1] It generally refers to the practices of 11 brotherhoods in various regions, which that include more than 5,000 people,[2] among which the best-known is the Dancing Devils of Yare. These manifestations were recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012.
The brotherhood groups originated in the mid seventeenth century[3] on the Aragua and Vargas[2] state farms. As early as 1749, Corpus Christi was celebrated and men, women and children dressed as devils to fulfill promises made to the Blessed Sacrament.[4]
Different origins have been attributed to the Dancing Devils of Corpus Christi. According to a story about the San Francisco de Yare brotherhood, 400 years ago, a priest without the means to hold the procession of Corpus Christi said: "If there is no money nor believers to carry the Blessed Sacrament in procession, then the devils come!"[5] After a storm, several devils presented themselves in front of the church.[6]
Regarding other stories about the Yare brotherhoods are, some references are in the novel Peonía by the writer Manuel Vicente Romero Garcia, describing in a clear and illustrative manner how the dancers were Cúa devils in the 1870s.[7]
Source: Wikipedia