http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/23583 Dancing Devils of Yare The Dancing Devils of Yare is a religious festival held in the town of San Francisco de Yare in Miranda State, Venezuela. Every Corpus Christi, or 60 days after Easter, men from Yare dress in red robes, capes and masks of grotesque demons and dance in the streets to the rhythm of drumbeats and maracas. They adorn their costumes with scapulars, rosaries, crosses and other religious objects. After dancing throughout their small town, the devils congregate at the historical San Francisco Catholic church and kneel in silence before being blessed by a priest. The kneeling symbolizes respect and their religious promise to end their evil ways. After being blessed, dancing and music continue as the devils go in a large procession to visit the homes of the deceased throughout their town. The celebration lasts until the end of the afternoon, when church bells are sounded and brotherhood spreads, signifying the triumph of good over evil for one more year. The festival's origins date back to the eighteenth century, and being allowed to participate is considered a tremendous honor. The fraternity of men associated with the festival is celebrated as the oldest brotherhood still practicing its traditions, on the entire American continent. Their masks differentiate their place in the fraternity's hierarchy, and it is not uncommon to find men who have danced annually as devils for more than twenty or thirty years. Los Diablos de Yare La festividad del Corpus Christi es una celebración conocida en Venezuela, popularmente, a través del ritual mágico-religioso de los Diablos Danzantes de Yare, que se celebra desde el siglo XVIII en San Francisco de Yare, estado Miranda. La fraternidad de Diablos de este pequeño pueblo colonial es la más vieja del continente americano y tal vez la más organizada. Lo más emocionante de la jornada es ver a los Diablos danzar al son del repique de la caja, un tambor típico. Bailan por las calles del pueblo para luego arrodillarse al unísono frente a la iglesia, permaneciendo postrados en señal de respeto al Santísimo mientras el sacerdote los bendice. La música y el baile continúan mientras los Diablos -quienes pagan una promesa religiosa al convertirse en demonios de rojas vestiduras y coloridas máscaras- visitan las casas de algunos Diablos difuntos. La celebración termina cuando al final de la tarde suenan las campanas de la iglesia y la hermandad se dispersa hasta el próximo año, cuando volverán a representar este rito donde el bien debe prevalecer sobre el mal. http://www.lightstalkers.org en-us http://images.lightstalkers.org/avatars/46498/ALTA_Retratos_Aaron_Sosa_by_Michele_Santamaria_Panama_09-2012-22_small.jpg http://www.lightstalkers.org/Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973667/090611ADSbaja001_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973667'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973667 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:21:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973667 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973667/090611ADSbaja001_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973667'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973670/090611ADSbaja002_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973670'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973670 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:22:50 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973670 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973670/090611ADSbaja002_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973670'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973673/090611ADSbaja004_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973673'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973673 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:23:34 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973673 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973673/090611ADSbaja004_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973673'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973676/090611ADSbaja005_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973676'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973676 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:24:21 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973676 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973676/090611ADSbaja005_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973676'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973679/090611ADSbaja006_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973679'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973679 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:28:20 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973679 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973679/090611ADSbaja006_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973679'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973682/090611ADSbaja007_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973682'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973682 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:29:11 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973682 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973682/090611ADSbaja007_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973682'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973687/090611ADSbaja009_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973687'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973687 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:30:10 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973687 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973687/090611ADSbaja009_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973687'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973691/090611ADSbaja011_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973691'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973691 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:30:59 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973691 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973691/090611ADSbaja011_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973691'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973697/090611ADSbaja012_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973697'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973697 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:32:28 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973697 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973697/090611ADSbaja012_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973697'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973703/090611ADSbaja014_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973703'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973703 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:34:00 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973703 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973703/090611ADSbaja014_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973703'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973706/090611ADSbaja016_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973706'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973706 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:35:59 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973706 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973706/090611ADSbaja016_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973706'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973709/090611ADSbaja017_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973709'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973709 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:36:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973709 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973709/090611ADSbaja017_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973709'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973712/090611ADSbaja018_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973712'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973712 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:38:34 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973712 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973712/090611ADSbaja018_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973712'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973715/090611ADSbaja019_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973715'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973715 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:39:41 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973715 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973715/090611ADSbaja019_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973715'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973718/090611ADSbaja020_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973718'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973718 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:40:41 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973718 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/973718/090611ADSbaja020_small.JPG' /><br />Dancing Devils of Yare Yare, Miranda State Venezuela 2009<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/973718'>view full-size image</a> Aaron Sosa