By Richard Senate –
The answer to this question is yes, El Diablo did once tread the streets of early Ventura. Well, not really Satan himself, but someone playing him in a little-known Christmas event in old California.
In Mission times the Padre’s would put on a 13th Century play called Los Pastore. It could be performed in the church or on the steps in front of the church. It features the shepherds who heard the report of the birth of Christ from the angels and are making their way to the stable. They encounter “El Diablo” and his evil imps who try to get them to turn back, then Saint Michael and his angels appear and there is a terrible battle with wooden swords.
It is sometimes called “The Shepard’s Play” and it had two endings, in one of the angels won, and one if the Devil won—one never knew which ending would be used. The mock battle between the forces of good and evil resulted in a few injuries as the actors got involved in the “battle”, but no more that a few broken arms were the result.
Like many such productions there were lots of funny comments that found their way into the script. The tradition was that the richest man in the community would play the role of “El Diablo” and it was an honor, of sorts. Dressed in a devil mask and horns he would play his part with gusto to the hisses of the audience. We do not know who played the devil in Ventura but it would well have been Don Raymundo Olivas, who owned a large ranch or Francisco Tico who own the Rancho Ojai (but preferred to live in cooler Ventura). Perhaps we should revive this early California tradition as part of the Downtown Christmas events at this special time of the year.
