Paraguay feather festival

Catholics in this Paraguayan town paid homage to St. Francis Solano on Friday in a peculiar religious festival that involves dressing up in bird-feather suits.

The celebration was held at the chapel that bears the name of the saint, who was born in Spain in 1549 and died in Peru 1610. Solano was canonized in 1726.

Some 500 people attended the event — a mix of Roman Catholic and Guarani indigenous beliefs that has been held since the 19th century.

The festival began with a Mass, then a procession with an image of the saint and ended with people dancing in suits made with black, white, brown and grey feathers.

Legend has it that Guaicuru Indians used to attack smaller tribes and Spanish colonizers to steal their food and weapons. Some people decided to dress up in bird feathers to scare the Guaicuru away. The faithful say that as St. Francis Solano lay on his deathbed, birds sang to him.

Local priests say there are no records of the saint ever appearing in Paraguay but residents believe in his miraculous powers nonetheless.

Pedro Balbuena is seen as the chief of the feathered-ones. He says he has been organizing the dancing performance for 40 years. His group, which includes children, adults and the elderly, prefer to use rooster feathers for the suits, because they're more colorful.

Here's a gallery of images from Paraguay's bird feather festivity:

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Alfredo Ortega poses for a photo in his bird-feather suit after attending a Mass commemorating the feast day of St. Francis Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. Paraguayan Catholics honored the Spanish friar also known as St. Francisco Solanus in a a mix of Indian and Catholic beliefs. The festival begins with a Mass, continues with a procession of the diminutive wooden statue of St. Francis, and ends with pledges covered in feathers from head to toe, dancing with fellow parishioners. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

APTOPIX Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Alfredo Ortega, dressed in his bird-feather suit, walks along a highway as he makes his way to the celebrations honoring the feast day of St. Francis Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. In a mix of Indian and Catholic beliefs, Paraguayans in this small town paid homage to the Spanish friar on Friday in a religious festivity that involves dressing up in bird-feather suits. One area legend says the Guaicuru Indians used to attack smaller tribes, and the Spanish colonizers to steal their food and weapons. In turn, the smaller tribes decided to dress up in bird feathers to scare off the attackers. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Father Modesto Martinez leads a procession marking the feast day of St Francisco Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. There is no record of the Spanish friar, also known as St. Francisco Solanus, in Paraguay, but the devoted believe he is a miracle worker. While he lay dying in a Peruvian convent, the birds would sing to him, perched at his window, and that may be why pledges choose to dress in feathers on his feast day, says Martinez. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Dominga Mongelos prays during a Mass marking the feast day of St. Francisco Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. The religious festivity, that involves dressing up in bird-feather suits, was held in the patio of a chapel that bears the name of the saint, who was born in Spain in 1549 and died in Peru 1610. There is no record of the Spanish friar and South American missionary, also known as St. Francisco Solanus, in Paraguay, but the faithful believe in his miraculous powers. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

A wooden statue depicting St. Francisco Solano is displayed at the top of a religious float during a Mass marking the saint's feast day, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. The religious festivity was held in the patio of a chapel that bears the name of the Spanish friar and South American missionary, also known as St. Francisco Solanus, who was born in Spain in 1549 and died in Peru 1610. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Catholic faithful pray during a Mass marking the feast day of St. Francisco Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. There is no record of the Spanish friar, also known as St. Francisco Solanus, in Paraguay, but the devoted believe he is a miracle worker. While he lay dying in a Peruvian convent, the birds would sing to him, perched at his window, and that may be why pledges choose to dress in feathers on his feast day, says Father Modesto Martinez. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Pedro Balbuena plays the harmonica as walks ahead of the procession marking the feast day of St. Francisco Solano in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. Balbuena is seen as the chief of the feathered-ones. He says he has been organizing the dancing performance honoring St. Francis for 40 years. His group includes children, adults and the elderly. They practice for three months and they prefer to use rooster feathers for the suits, because theyíre more colorful. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Francisco Solano poses for a photo in his bird-feather suit after attending a Mass commemorating the feast day of St. Francis Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. Some 500 people attended the festivity - a mix of indigenous and Guarani Indian beliefs. The festival begins with a Mass, continues with a procession of the diminutive wooden statue of St. Francis, and ends with people dancing in suits made with black, white, brown and grey feathers. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Catholic parishioners Hector Rafael Villaba, from left, Guillermo Estigarribia, and his brother Jesus, pose in their bird-feather suits during the feast day celebrations honoring St. Francisco Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. The feast is a mix of Indian and Catholic beliefs, known by the Guarani name, "Guaicuru I nemonde", which in English translates to "Dress of the Indigenous". According to legend, smaller Indian groups would cover themselves from head to toe in bird feathers to scare off Guaicuru raiders, looking for weapons and food to steal. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

APTOPIX Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

A Catholic faithful dressed in a bird-feather suit, flies past on a chair swing ride during the feast day celebrations for St. Francisco Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. The parish priest says the festivity became a tradition because the birthday of Francisco Solano Lopez, the son of 19th century Paraguayan President Carlos Antonio Lopez, fell on Saint Francis' feast day. The Paraguayan president served from 1841 to 1862. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

Revelers dance during the feast day celebrations honoring St. Francisco Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. Paraguayan Catholics honored the Spanish friar, also known as St. Francisco Solanus, in a a mix of Indian and Catholic beliefs Friday. The festival begins with a Mass, continues with a procession of the diminutive statue of the saint, and ends with pledges covered in feathers from head to toe, dancing with fellow parishioners. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

APTOPIX Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

St. Francis Solano pledge Juan Ferreira, holds a cane with a heron head handle during a Mass marking the saint's feast day, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. The feast is a mix of Indian and Catholic beliefs, known by the Guarani name, "Guaicuru I memonde", which in English translates to "Dress of the Indigenous". According to legend, smaller Indian groups would cover themselves from head to toe in bird feathers to scare off Guaicuru raiders looking for weapons and food to steal. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Paraguay Feather Festival Photo Gallery

A Catholic parishioner receives Communion bread during a Mass marking the feast day of St. Francisco Solano, in Emboscada, Paraguay, Friday, July 24, 2015. There is no record of the Spanish friar, also known as St. Francisco Solanus, in Paraguay, but the devoted believe he is a miracle worker. While he lay dying in a Peruvian convent, the birds would sing to him, perched at his window, and that may be why pledges choose to dress in feathers on his feast day, says Father Modesto Martinez. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Text from AP news story, AP PHOTOS: Paraguayans use feathers to pay homage to saint.

 

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