- San Pedro Huamelula's Mayor, Victor Hugo Sosa, married an alligator on June 30, Reuters reported.
- The ritual ceremony is an indigenous tradition meant to bring prosperity to the community.
- The alligator, dressed in white, is believed to be a deity representing mother earth.
Victor Hugo Sosa, the mayor of San Pedro Huamelula in Mexico, wed an alligator bride in hopes of bringing prosperity to his community, Reuters reported.
On Thursday, in a ritual ceremony that dates to pre-Hispanic times, the mayor kissed and danced with the 7 year old reptile — who was dressed in a white bridal dress — as a prayer for nature's bounty.
The alligator, with its mouth bound shut, is believed to be a deity representing mother earth. The marriage symbolizes the connection between humans and the divine.
"We ask nature for enough rain, for enough food, that we have fish in the river," Reuters reported Sosa said during the ceremony in the small fishing village near Oaxaca.
During the procession, trumpets blared and locals carried the bride in their arms and fanned her with their hats.
Elia Edith Aguilar, known as the godmother of the alligator who organized the wedding, told Reuters she spent a lot of time carefully picking garments for the alligator to wear for the ceremony.
"It gives me so much happiness and makes me proud of my roots," Reuters reported Aguilar said. "It's a very beautiful tradition."
