SAN JUDAS TADEO DAY

If you're in Mexico City on the 28th of the month, you might wonder why a ton of hoodlums are wandering around carrying statues of a bearded man in their arms. Well, that's because it's San Judas Tadeo Day, the day when people celebrate the patron saint of lost causes and desperate cases. They're San Judas Tadeo superfans in Mexico. In fact, they like him so much that what used to be a yearly celebration is now a monthly one--the church has always known how to cash in on an opportunity to party. Thousands of people gather around St. Hipolito church on Avenida de la Reforma to celebrate the super-popular saint in style.

I don't get this guy. Why does his statue have a quiff? His mother tried to tell me in Spanish, but she spoke so fast that my brain couldn't comprehend what she was saying. Awesome baseball cap though.

My photographer claims Juan Carlos here was high. I didn't really notice, but it's entirely possible--the only thing more popular than San Judas in Mexico City is huffing glue and Christian Audigier.

Here we have a gorgeous 8-bit San Judas scapular. Jael made this himself in just one day. He learned how to weave in jail.

This is David. He's 17 and doesn't give a shit what you think about his haircut. That peninsula of shaved head isn't from some asshole friends and a razor after a night of tequila and glue-sniffing either, he had it done in Tabuca, on purpose.

Paola and Belen are sisters who like to dress exactly alike, and on San Judas Day they carry identical statues. They aren't twins, but they don't let that stop them from fucking with people at school.

Not everyone dresses up, but if you don't at least have a statue with you why the hell are you here?

Those two girls really are twins, but they're probably still too young to be using that miracle to fuck with people.

Dulce (meaning "sweet") is carrying two statues because her mother couldn't come, but wanted hers blessed.

If you don't want to layer up with tons of San Judas-themed accessories, you can also just wear his clothes.

This little girl had the look and stoic attitude of some of the best saints. She's going places.

As night rolls around the celebration goes on, but things get a little wilder. This was taken right around the time of that transformation. Apparently this girl was depressed about that? PHOTOS: ELIZABETH ROSALES AND DAVID SANDOVA TEXT: VALERIA COSTA-KOSTRITSKY