12/24/15 - Pase Del Nino Parade

Cuenca’s Christmas Eve Pase del Niño parade, or Passing of the Child, is a colorful, often bizarre, mixture of the religious and the profane. It is a festival that combines Catholic and indigenous traditions.

The centerpiece of Cuenca’s parade is an 1823 sculpture of the infant Jesus, commissioned by Cuencano Josefa Heredia from an unknown local artist. When the sculpture came into the possession of Cuenca Monsignor Miguel Cordero Crespo more than a century later, he took it to the Holy Land and Rome in 1961, where it was blessed by Pope John XXIII. After the journey and the anointment, the statute became known as Niño Viajero, or Traveling Child, and has been the parade´s main attraction ever since.

Organizers of the Cuenca parade claim that theirs is the largest Pase del Niño in all of Latin America; as many as 15,000 will participate in the procession, with about 120,000 more watching from sidewalks, balconies and roof tops.

The procession can last 8 hours or more and features everything from floats and decorated cars to bands, dancers, street performers, stilt-walkers and various Biblical characters. As you can see, fun is had by everyone.

12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Lining up for hours before start.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Lining up for hours before start.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Vehicles are decorated with fruit.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Notice the man sleeping.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Vehicles are decorated with fruit, flowers and other items.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Horses that will be in the parade.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Vehicles are decorated with fruit, flowers and other items.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Vehicles are decorated with fruit, flowers and other items.
12/24/25 - Pase del Niño parade. Vehicles are decorated with fruit, flowers and other items.
12/24/25 - Vendors line the streets leading up to the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Vendors line the street leading to the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Heading to San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity at San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity at San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity at San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - The alter where the Niño Viajero is blessed for the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Blessing the Niño Viajero before the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.
12/24/25 - Activity near San Sebastian Plaza, the start of the Pase del Niño parade.