Overview
- The Catholic Church marks December 28 as the memorial of the Holy Innocents, recalling Herod’s massacre as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew.
- In 2025 the observance falls on Sunday, with Spain and much of Latin America engaging in inocentadas from friendly tricks to fabricated headlines.
- Mexico’s tradition includes the popular “préstamo” gag and frequent spoof items by media and brands that are revealed as jokes.
- Historians point out the massacre story appears only in Matthew and lacks independent historical records, a caveat noted in recent explainers.
- News outlets and social media users are urging verification of surprising posts as the day’s pranks intersect with digital misinformation.