Happy First Day of Spring

[Blueskies]

Celebrating the Spring Equinox in Mexico

Although in northern climates, the coming of spring is celebrated as a return to warmer weather, the occasion is celebrated in Mexico for different reasons and in a variety of ways. The spring equinox is celebrated in Mexico with spring festivals and parades. Another very popular activity to mark the occasion is to participate in special ceremonies and rituals at various archaeological sites throughout the country.

People may take part in rituals to honor the special date, which marks the beginning of spring, and the fact that day and night are of equal length on this particular day of the year.

What Is the Spring Equinox?
On the equinox, the sun is positioned directly over the equator. The word “equinox” means “equal night” referring to the fact that on this day, there are twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of night. There are two equinoxes during the year: the spring equinox, sometimes called “vernal equinox,” which falls around March 20th, and the autumn equinox which falls around September 23rd. The day of the spring equinox marks the end of winter and beginning of spring.

The spring equinox is celebrated in many traditions as a time of fertility, regeneration and rebirth. Easter is calculated according to the date of the Spring Equinox. In the Western Church, Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Spring equinox (the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Easter on a different date).

Spring Equinox Dates
The Spring equinox usually falls on the 20th or 21st of March. The dates for the Spring Equinox may vary slightly from year to year, in some places occurring as early as March 19th. Read Why Has Date Changed for Start of Spring? to find out about how the date of the spring equinox can vary.

Spring Festivals
Although the weather in Mexico is generally warm year-round, the start of spring is still considered a cause for celebration. In many places in Mexico there are spring festivals, usually referred to as festivales de primavera, that take place to celebrate the beginning of the season. Children’s parades are also popular and if you’re in Mexico on or around the date of the spring equinox, you may see children on parade dressed up as flowers and animals.

Spring Equinox in Mexico’s Archaeological Sites
The ancient civilizations that developed in Mexico were very attuned to the movement  …

For the full article please see: Tripsavvy

[Author]

Posts