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Inmates bake 1,300-foot Rosca de Reyes to celebrate holiday with families

The Mérida Social Rehabilitation Center (CERESO) hosted a gathering where inmates, their families, and authorities shared a massive Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings’ Bread) spanning 1,300 feet. The traditional ring-shaped bread, eaten throughout Latin America on Jan. 6 to celebrate Día de Los Reyes, commemorates the arrival of the Three Wise Men bearing gifts for baby Jesus.

Dating back to 16th century Spain, the Rosca de Reyes combines Christian symbolism with local customs. Its oval shape represents a king’s crown, while the candied fruits symbolize the jewels adorning it. Hidden within the bread are small figurines of baby Jesus, representing the biblical story of hiding the infant from King Herod. Finding a figurine traditionally means hosting a tamale feast on Candlemas Day, Feb. 2.

At the prison, 40 incarcerated bakers worked for 16 hours to create this festive bread, incorporating 3,000 traditional baby Jesus figurines. The massive undertaking required 1,300 kg of flour, 300 kg of vegetable shortening, 280 kg of sugar, and various other ingredients, including 135 liters of milk and 80 crates of eggs.

Related: A rosca record?

The celebration, part of Yucatán Gov. Joaquín Díaz Mena’s social rehabilitation program, included graffiti art displays and dance performances. Families and inmates gathered around the football field where the bread was displayed, creating a festive atmosphere for this centuries-old tradition.

CERESO Director Francisco Javier Brito Herrera emphasized the importance of family unity and rehabilitation during the celebration. After the main event, authorities shared portions of the bread with inmates in the women’s section of the facility.

The gathering exemplifies the prison’s mission to provide cultural, educational, artistic, and work-related activities to facilitate inmates’ eventual reintegration into society.

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