La Quema de Judas
The Burning of Judas

Dating back to the 19th century in Europe, dolls resembling the apostle who betrayed Jesus, Judas Iscariot, have been made to destroy in ceremony. In modern times, these dolls are made to resemble any evil creature with the most common being a horned devil - this is the case for the festival of San Miguel. These materials are made and destroyed (by hanging or fire) to celebrate Saint Michael's victory over Lucifer. This expression is meant to celebrate evil being symbolically destroyed. There are family businesses that focus on creating these texts for celebrations like the Fiesta de San Miguel and Dia de los Muertos.