Mules and the Mexican celebration of Corpus Christi

Sixty days after Easter, Catholics around the world celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, a solemnity instituted by Pope Urban IV in 1264. In Mexico City — and some other parts of the central region of the country such as Puebla, Morelos, and the State of Mexico — Corpus Christi Thursday is also known as Mule Day or Day of the Little Mules. (Although the feast is traditionally held on Thursday, in many ecclesiastical jurisdictions it is transferred to Sunday.)

On this day, in addition to attending church services, it’s traditional to buy and give away mules made of palm leaves as gifts, and dress children in traditional clothing like that worn by the Indigenous people during colonial times.

Although the origin of the tradition isn’t known with certainty, there are two different theories that attempt to explain this popular celebration:

Perhaps one of the best-known stories about St. Anthony of Padua is the tale of an unbelieving man and a mule that knelt before Christ in the Eucharist.

One day, St. Anthony of Padua was evangelizing in Rimini, one of the major cities of Italy. Among the crowd was a heretic (named either Boninillo or Bonvillo, depending on the source) who refused to accept that Christ was really and truly present in the consecrated host.

Bonvillo raised his voice and challenged St. Anthony. In order to believe in his teachings, he asked for a miracle to prove that his words were true. St. Anthony asked the heretic what kind of proof he expected to receive, to which he replied:

St. Anthony agreed and, for three days, prayed and fasted, asking God for his help. After three days, they met in the public square. The saint ordered the mule to bow down before its Creator, present in the Eucharist. The hungry mule ignored the food and did as St. Anthony asked. The heretic converted, and today there is a chapel marking the site of this miracle.

Another historical explanation of this tradition of mules at Corpus Christi claims that this tradition is directly related to the celebration of this solemnity in colonial times.

At that time, the Indigenous people wore their best clothes to go to the church with their mules loaded with the fruits of their harvest. Upon arrival, they presented them as an offering to God to thank him for the good weather and for his providence.

For this reason, children are dressed in the traditional costumes of that era and merchants set up outside the churches to sell handicrafts in the shape of mules.

In memory of the story of St. Anthony of Padua and the faith of the indigenous people, merchants make these handicrafts to sell on Corpus Christi outside the cathedral.

The most typical figures are made of palm leaves, corn husks, reeds, and dried pasta, and are decorated with flowers, clay, and other colorful objects. However, it’s also possible to find some made of ceramic or glass.

In other parts of the country, Corpus Christi celebrations include beautiful carpets of flowers and colored sawdust that decorate the streets for the procession with the Blessed Sacrament. And although this day is not a government holiday in Mexico, traditions such as these survive, in part, thanks to how crowded the churches are on this day.

Regardless of the historical origin of the tradition, both explanations demonstrate two important things: that since the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the people of Mexico have been distinguished by their faith and devotion; and that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is real.