Guatemala’s annual San Simón celebration of faith and tradition:

Amid candles, music and copious amounts of alcohol, thousands of devotees celebrated San Simon on Monday in an indigenous town in Guatemala. San Simón is a popular saint to whom drug traffickers, prostitutes, migrants and traffickers pray. His followers ask for favors in love, health or business and celebrate his “birthday” every October 28, when thousands make a pilgrimage to a temple erected in his honor in the indigenous Mayan Kaqchikel city of San Andrés Itzapa , 35 km west of the city. capital.

“He saved me from death and accidents. He saved me from all harm,” said Otto Rivera, a 52-year-old musician, adding that everything he has achieved in life he owes to San Simón. “He gave me work, money, health, love and prosperity,” Rivera, known as “El Charro,” added. San Simón, or ‘Monchito’, is the product of a religious syncretism between Christian and indigenous traditions, but he is not recognized by the Catholic Church.

The temple resembles a chapel. Worshipers walk past an image of the saint on the main altar, where he is depicted sitting in a wooden chair, surrounded by money, beer bottles and liquor. His face has a blank expression with a thick mustache. “He is a saint who does not discriminate based on skin color, age, religion or sexuality,” said Andrés Morales, 21, who visits the temple once a month. The temple walls are covered with thousands of plaques in gratitude for the favors received, many from migrants who reached the United States after entrusting themselves to San Simón.

The saint is dressed in a dark modern suit and a black hat. Inside and outside the temple – visited by devotees from other Central American countries and Mexico – spirit guides perform “cleansings” using herbs, cigar smoke and splashes of alcoholic beverages on the faithful, while music groups add harmony to the celebration.

One woman, who gave her name only as Patty, said she had been devoted to him since she was a “baby” and had adored him for 49 years. “We love him, cherish him, respect him. Long live San Simon!” she said excitedly.