Fiesta for Our Lady of the Rosary

Most towns in Mexico have a patron saint or Marian apparition (a supernatural appearance of the Virgin Mary), celebrated each year with multi-day fiestas. In Ajijic, those are St. Andrew and Our Lady of the Rosary.

The feast days are tied to the Catholic liturgical calendar, though they don’t always align depending on local custom. (St. Andrew’s feast day is officially November 30, coinciding with Ajijic’s celebration. But Our Lady of Rosary’s feast day is formally observed on October 7.)

What are feast days?

Catholic feast days are special occasions dedicated to celebrating various saints, events in the life of Jesus, and aspects of the faith. These days hold great religious significance and offer a chance for reflection, prayer, and community gathering. (And also the possibility for a lot of partying, music and drinking for those more keen on the holiday’s secular aspects.) Catholics honor different saints, virgins and biblical events through these feast days, often involving church services, processions, and other local traditions.

Whether it’s the feast of a well-known saint or a major event like Christmas or Easter, these celebrations play a key role in the spiritual life and culture of Catholic communities worldwide.

September 29 Procession

The small church on the Ajijic plaza is the Virgin’s chapel where an image of her is kept year-round. On the 29th of September, she is taken out and bearers march her to the church near Seís Esquinas in West Ajijic. This procession begins at 5 p.m.

September 30 Grand Procession

The next day, on September 30, another procession takes her to Church San Andrés, where she stays until the end of October. This procession starts at 6:30 p.m.

Early Morning Processions

Every morning in October, the faithful gather for a procession before sunrise, called las mañanitas or little mornings. The procession leaves from a different neighborhood each week. (If you wonder what the fireworks are about most mornings in October at 5 a.m., this is it: alerting everyone that the procession is about to start or arrive at the big church, San Andrés.) The processions begin at 5:30 and get to the church around 6:00 in time for mass.

October 31 Procession

On October 31, a huge procession accompanies the image of the Rosario at 4:30 p.m. through the streets of Ajijic, with Aztec dancers, kids with balloons, floats, bandas, and marching bands. An hour later, it ends at the plaza for an outdoor mass on the Church San Andrés atrium. The image is returned to her chapel on the plaza at night after 9 p.m.

The procession starts behind Church San Andrés on Galeana Street.