Day of the Dead Souls Welcomed in Leona Vicario

Leona Vicario, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, October 30 — The light of candles and votive candles illuminated the path for the souls, who began their return to the earthly plane tonight to accompany a procession marking the start of Day of the Dead festivities in this Delegation. The event is part of the 2025 Janal Pixán Festival, "Alma y Raíz," organized by the Institute of Culture and the Arts.

The colorful procession, led by Municipal President Blanca Merari Tziu Muñoz, the Leona Vicario population, councilors, and public servants, departed from beside the old cemetery. Adult women and girls dressed in ternos, huipiles, colorful embroidered blouses, and headdresses made with colorful flowers and marigolds walked the streets accompanied by the Orquesta Jaranera del Caribe, which performed traditional polkas, pasodobles, and jaranas.

"This is how we begin the traditional Janal Pixán, a festivity that speaks of us, our traditions and our culture," stated the Municipal President before the Procession of the Souls began. "This is how we honor and remember our faithful departed, let us live these and all days with joy and color," she added.

After traveling several streets, the procession arrived at the Main Park, where altars participating in a contest were installed. In the central kiosk, the City Council set up an altar where a Mayan ceremony was held to give thanks for the festival, which welcomes the souls of the deceased, who come to enjoy their preferred food, drink, and music.

On the park's stage, which was packed, a cultural program was presented that included pre-Hispanic dances and a performance by the Ballet de Leona Vicario, from Cecyte. Contests for catrinas, alebrijes, and another for altars were also held.

In turn, Municipal President Blanca Merari placed a mucbipollo and a plate of relleno negro on the altar as an offering and reiterated that this festival "unites us as a community."

"Let us celebrate this festivity in honor of our faithful departed, but let us also celebrate life," she pointed out. "We are showing a new generation this tradition that identifies us as Mexicans and Quintana Roo residents," she concluded.