Aztec religious rituals were performed to communicate with the gods and ensure favorable outcomes like rain and crop yields. Rituals had specific procedures and purposes, from pragmatic rituals meant to influence natural phenomena to commemorative rituals representing mythology. Ritual preparation involved fasting and an evening vigil of singing, dancing, and offerings. The important New Fire Ceremony occurred every 52 years to light new fires and ensure the sun's journey continued. Another key ritual was the Etzalqualiztli festival held for the rain god Tlaloc, which featured human sacrifice and punishing servants to bring rain and forgiveness.

1. Aztec Religious Rituals
Aztec Rituals were a means of communicating with the gods by giving a gift that would hopefully be
repaid by the gods with a desired reward. Each ritual and ceremony has its own progression of tasks
that were meant to help them communicate to their gods. If they were not done in the right
manner, there could have been dire consequences.
Leonardo López Luján in “The Offerings Of The Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan” (UNM Press, 2005),
lists several rites:
1. Pragmatic/Control: To influence natural phenomena
2.Commemorative: Mythical representation
3.Bereavement: Transformation of the dead into gods
4.Magical: Coercive and inherently effective in themselves
5.Religious: supplication and contingent
These five rites show the different purposes for different rituals. When the Aztecs sacrifice children
to Tlaloc, they are trying to influence natural phenomena of rain, making the ritual a Pragmatic rite.
Before a ritual or ceremony began, there was a fast that would last before the actual ceremony took
place. Usually, “The denial of food during fasting was ritually defined. Normally only one meal each
day, without chile and salt.” (Frances F. Berdan “The Aztecs of Central Mexico: An Imperial Society”
2005 2nd ed. Thomson-Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.)
The night before the ceremonies began a vigil was held. Berdan describes the events as: “[consisting]
of singing with musical accompaniment, dancing, and colourful processions. Offerings were a part of
virtually every ceremony, and ranged from incense and gifts (often food) to animals (usually quail)
and human beings for sacrifice.” (Berdan 2005). From this short description, we can see that each
ceremony had many parts. Each part was vital to the understanding of the ceremony.
The New Fire Ceremony
The New Fire Ceremony from the Codex Borbonicus and Codex Florentine

2. The New Fire Ceremony would have occurred after a whole calendar round of fifty-two years had
passed. This was one of the most important ceremonies for the Aztecs. If the priests failed or
incorrectly performed the ritual then the fifth world of creation would end.
Every fire was put out leaving Mexico in darkness. Everyone climbed on top of their houses or walls
and watched eagerly. Priests would dress as deities and climb Uixachtlan, a sacred mountain. At
midnight, a sacrifice was made and after the priests removed the heart, they attempted to light a
fire in the chest of the sacrificed victim. Once they lit the fire, the priests lit torches and sent them to
light every school, temple and house (Berdan 2005).
The importance of this ceremony revolved around the notion of the sun’s journey. If this ceremony
was done successively, the world would continue like normal and the sun would rise again in the
morning. If the ceremony failed then the world would be thrown into darkness and the celestial
monsters would come and devour the world.
Etzalqualiztli
According to Sahagun in the Florentine Codex, this ceremony began with priests going to,
“Citlaltepec for reeds; for they grew very large and handsome in the waters called Temilco.”
(Sahagun 1590) They would then later use the reeds to decorate the temple. As they returned to the
temple, people avoided the priests for if someone was caught by these priests the priests would
have all rights to rob him/her of everything he/she had. The day of the feast the priests would
punish servants who had committed a wrong by beating them at the edge of the lake, usually leaving
them half dead. Sahagun also explains how, “they slew many captives and other slaves, arrayed in
the ornaments of these gods named Tlalocs, in whose honour they slew them on their own
pyramid.” (Sahagun 1590) obviously this ceremony was performed for the god Tlaloc who is the
supreme rain deity.
This festival was most likely held to try and bring more rain and better crop yields for the Aztecs
since they were worshiping Tlaloc. The punishing of the servants who had committed wrongs may
indicate a festival of repentance and forgiveness.
Ceramic statue from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, Mexico, depicting the rain god Tlaloc, from
Museo del Templo Mayo, Mexico