Legends

Puerto Rico has over four hundred years of recorded history. Many legends and folk tales have withstood the test of time and have remained as part of the legacy of those who lived here before. Listed below and in related pages are some of the most significant.

Claims that people have seen the Virgin Mary are frequent in Puerto Rico as they are in most countries with a Catholic background.

The most noteworthy is “La Virgen del Pozo”, whose reported appearances and miracles drew crowds of tens of thousands in the 1950’s. A sanctuary built on those grounds still draws an attendance of hundreds of worshippers each Sunday. A substantial crowd gathers on the anniversary which is celebrated at the end of May each year. Many visitors stand in line to have their container(s) filled with water from the underground pool over which the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared. Many miracles have been attributed throughout the years to drinking or otherwise utilizing the water from the Virgin's pool. Health authorities warn about the dangers inherent to drinking this or any other untreated water.

El Pozo de la Virgen (The Virgin's Pond) is located just outside the small town of Sábana Grande, about a thirty-minute drive away from the city of Mayagüez in the Western part of the island. The area includes a chapel, a small “museum” of alleged miracles, and a rustic souvenir shop. A small one-room school from the 1950's is used to show a 20-minute video about the aparitions of the Virgin Mary and the crowds that assembled at the time. A substantial improvement to the facilities, including the tallest statue in Puerto Rico, is in its initial stages as of mid-1998. The peace and quiet of the place are usually worth the trip. It is open daily from around 8:00 AM to around 6:00 PM. Entrance is free. Parking is available at a slight charge, but you may have to park by the roadside on a Sunday and on special occasions.

La Noche de San Juan (Night of St. John the Baptist) is celebrated on June 23rd. It is celebrated widely, particularly in San Juan. Tradition holds that walking backwards towards the beach and jumping backwards into the water at exactly midnight will bring good luck and keep evil away throughout the year. Most hotels and resorts will hold some type of special festivity for the occasion. All public beaches are usually full of people throughout the night. Special police protection is generally provided at the most popular beaches. Even with police protection nearby, safety precautions should be taken, such as to stay near your own group, do not carry any jewelry and do not go deep in the water.

February 2nd is el día de la candelaria. This tradition is being forgotten very fast and may not last much longer unless a revival should take place. The day is celebrated with a huge hoguera, a fire pire around which local folk will sing and dance while the fire lasts.

December 28th is el día de los inocentes, a Puerto Rican equivalent to April Fools' Day (which is also observed by some). The city of Hatillo, near Arecibo in the North Central Coast, celebrates el día de los inocentes with a huge parade of masked figures and much folklore. People from all over the island are attracted to this elaborate show and a day of fun.

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