Salvadorans ask for vulnerable children in the celebration of Innocent Children

Hundreds of Salvadorans from all over the country arrived this Saturday in the town of Antiguo Cuscatlán (southwest) to ask for unprotected children on the day that Holy Innocent Children are celebrated.

Salvadorans, mostly Catholic parishioners, gathered in the church of Antiguo Cuscatlán with images of the Holy Innocent Children in gratitude for a wish fulfilled or to make a request in the hope of seeing it come true.

During a short tour in procession, led by the image of the virgin Santa Juana, through said municipality, participants took the opportunity to ask for unprotected children in the country and the world.

María del Carmen Contreras, who carried an image with the name of José, told Efe that his "offering is for a miracle received this year" and to ask "for children who have no home and suffer abuse or that their parents they don't want them and are abandoned. "

"Every year I accompany the procession and each year is a different request ... The baby Jesus suffered a lot to survive and now we also see children struggling to survive," he said.

The devotee explained that this celebration commemorates the slaughter of innocent children at the hands of King Herod, when the Magi were going to visit Jesus Christ newborn, and made a stop in Jerusalem to ensure the path they should follow.

According to the Catholic Church, Santa Juana saved the lives of many children under two years of age, who would be killed on the orders of King Herod upon learning that a new king would be born.

Each figure representing a child was registered and taken to a room to join the group of statuettes that are exposed until the 28th so that all those who wish to come to venerate them or simply to visit the "exhibition".

This holiday dates from the year 1713 and was celebrated by a brotherhood composed of captains, butlers and tenacious.