Los Pastores (which translates as “the shepherds”) is a natural complement to Las Posadas. The story picks up after Mary and Joseph have safely arrived at the stable and the baby Jesus has been born. The archangel San Miguel appears to a band of shepherds and entreats them to visit the new king. As the shepherds make their way to Bethlehem, they overcome hazards, like a demon who tries to tempt the shepherds away from their holy pilgrimage and Bartolo, a lazy shepherd whose antics slow the group’s progress — but provide comic relief. The performance, presented entirely in Spanish (with a synopsis in English), includes songs accompanied by live music. 

Los Pastores was first performed in Spain in the 16th century and made a natural transition to the New World, where it was used by the Catholic Church as part of the autos sacramentales (sacramental acts) oral instruction in its teachings for often-illiterate clergy members. Productions of Los Pastores are distinct in different regions, but all impart the directive to have faith — whether one is tempted by sin or slouching toward Bethlehem.