Saint George Feast in Spain

THE FEAST OF SAINT GEORGE


Saint George’s day is very important throughout the Països Catalans. We can mention three of the most representative examples:
 

1- Most Catalan towns and villages celebrate a market of roses and books. In the main streets and squares there are stalls selling red roses and books - books are sold at a discount that day.
 

The custom of offering flowers can be related to the old Greco-Roman feasts dedicated to the deity Flora, which were an exaltation of nature and spring; in the Middle Ages flowers were the prize of Jocs Florals, literary contests which had St. George as their patron.
 

The origin of the market of books dates from 1926, when April 23 was chosen as the "day of books" because Shakespeare and Cervantes had died that day. Although its coincidence with St. George’s day is fortuitous , the atmosphere of people walking and buying books and roses contributes to give a special character to the feast, specially in big towns and particularly in Barcelona.

2- There is a celebration of a Medieval Week in Mont Blanc, the ducal village in la Conca de Barberà, where, according to the legend, St. George defeated the Dragon. People take part in the celebration and they dress as in the Middle Ages and perform jobs from that period, tournaments, courts, etc. The most important act is the performance of the legend in front of the medieval walls of the village. The legend is performed by many people from Mont Blanc, and it attracts a lot of public.

3- In Alcoi, in the south of the Països Catalans, they celebrate a great feast called Moors and Christians in commemoration of a historical fact: the entrance of Catalans in Valencia to fight against Arabs. According to tradition, the victory of the Catalan army was due to the action of the knight St. George.

 

Information from: http://www.pjhs.piikkio.fi/projects/Myths/Myths,%20Legends%20and%20Tales/catalonia/george/george.htm
 


 

Thank you Maria, you are "Marikapedia".

I did know that Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same date but I only found that out recently when I was helping a neighbour's son with his Cervantes homework/project.

If only they allowed the English the day off work in England so that they could celebrate it too.

How interesting that it is so big in Catalan culture.

They had a book fair in my children's school but I am a bit stingy and they have tons of books that they haven't read yet so we go to the library instead.

Susan

You are so......., graciosa Susan! I obtained the info from Information from: http://www.pjhs.piikkio.fi/projects/Myths/Myths,%20Legends%20and%20Tales/catalonia/george/george.htm  It is just that I enjoy being part of this forums and community.

It would be great to have a bookday  with the kids for them to know it is the day of the book. We have got a  book freemarket  In Algeciras these days. I will ask Luis to post some pictures of it for you EOSers!

Love from Agesira.mare.

By the way, the tourism delegate is up to share with you some ALgeciras videos... I talked with him about it yesterday.

Maria

They should do a Cervantes themed book day with actors acting out parts of Don Quioxote in costume etc.

Susan

 Let´s go!!!

Maria said (on another thread): Have a good Saint Jorge day. In Spain we gift books and roses this day. Specially in Cataluña.

In England, people mostly try to avoid the issue, for fear of offending the Scots / Welsh / Irish / Muslims etc etc. and for fear of getting into trouble with the PC brigade (political correctness). What a shame. I hope Boris Johnson's plans for London today go well. It's nice to know that someone still has the guts to stand up to this madness. If Catalans and other Spaniards can celebrate St.George and have some fun (and education) out of it, then the English should learn from them.

Now the Irish, on the other hand, they know how to celebrate their patron saint day:

Mick, the bartender says, 'You'll not be drinking anymore tonight, Paddy'.

Paddy replies, 'OK Mick, I'll be on my way then'.

Paddy spins around on his stool and steps off. He falls flat on his face. 

'Shoite' he says and pulls himself up by the stool and dusts himself off.

He takes a step towards the door and falls flat on his face,
'Shoite Shoite !'
He looks to the doorway and thinks to himself that if he can just get to the door and some fresh air he'll be fine.
He belly crawls to the door and shimmies up to the doorframe. He sticks his head outside and takes
a deep breath of fresh air, feels much better and takes a step out onto the sidewalk and falls flat on his face.
'Bi', gracious... I'm fockin' focked,' he says.
He can see his house just a few doors down, and crawls to the door, hauls himself up the doorframe, opens the door and shimmies inside.
He takes a look up the stairs and says 'No fockin' way'. He crawls up the stairs to his bedroom door and says 'I can make it to the bed'.
He takes a step into the room and falls flat on his face. He says 'Fock it' and falls into bed.




The next morning, his wife, Jess, comes into the room carrying a cup of coffee and says, 'Get up Paddy. Did you have a bit to drink last night?'
Paddy says, 'I did, Jess. I was fockin' pissed. But how'd you know?'
'Mick phoned . . . you left your wheelchair at the pub.'

Thanks Roberto. I agree with you that in a civilized world everyone should have freedom to express their religious traditions, WITHOUT IMPOSITION and with FULL RESPECT  towards other´s beliefs or dis-beliefs.

I will ask Luis, my husband to post pictures about how we celebrate all those religious traditions in Spain.

A quote from  Abraham Joshua Heschel:

"The problem to be faced is: how to combine loyalty to one's own tradition with reverence for different traditions". 

Like the quote - but don't really see why it should be a problem. At least, not if everybody takes the same attitude. Of course, it becomes difficult to revere another tradition, that sets out explicitly to destroy yours.