Fiestas of San Blas in Santiago de la Ribera 2012 

See below programme for background information.

To read the report after last year´s Romeria of San Blas, Click Romería of San Blas 2010.

 

Programme of acts 2012:

Thursday 2nd February, Day of the Candelaria.

4.45pm Blessing of all the children born within the last year. Followed by mass. Taking place in the Ermita de San Blas.

 

Friday 3rd February, Festival of San Blas.

10.30am The Romería of San Blas takes place.

Leaving from the Iglesia de Santiago Apostól, which is right down on the seafront, to the Ermita de San Blas. About 1km.

Some of the participants will be wearing the typical costume of the Murcian countryside and the fisherfolk of Santiago de la Ribera, accompanied by the music of the  Rondalla y Coro Santiago Apóstol de Santiago de la Ribera.

On arrival at the Ermita, a Misa Huertana is sung ( a musical mass ) and at the end, the honour of "Romero del Año" the Romero of the year, is awarded to D. Salvador Gallego Sáez.

 

Following this, the dignitaries visit the Peñas and their tents all set up in the parklands surrounding the hermitage.

2pm Grand paella provided for all who turn up, although many set up barbeques and picnics all of their own in the parkland. The best plan is to send a friend ahead to set up camp, get the sausages going, and prepare the chairs for the arrival of everyone else who has arrived on foot.

3pm Paella making competition.

 

Saturday 4th February

Bouncy castle for the kiddies set up by the hermitage. Mobile disco starting up from 8pm to entertain the peñas, still eating and drinking in their tents from the day before.

 

Sunday 5th February

II Romería Rociera in honour of San Blas.

10am. display of horses and carriages and musical equestrian spectacular.

Day of friendship for the peñas, with Migas making competition. Any participating peñas receive the ingredients with which to prepare their Migas. At 2.30 these must be presented for the approval of the judges, followed by prize giving and the consumption of the Migas.

During a Fiesta Rociera, the music of the Sevillanas plays, and the ladies dance and strut their stuff, sevillanas dresses being the long,  frilly, figure hugging dresses seen in traditional images of Spanish dance.

6pm. Traca Final. ( noisy firecrackers to close the fiestas.)

 

Click here for map, Iglesia Santiago Apostol, Santiago de la Ribera
Click here for map, Ermita de San Blas, Santiago de la Ribera NB. The map link takes you to Calle san Alfredo, follow it down to the junction of Santa Maria and the little triangle is the Plaza de San Blas.

 

What happens at a Romería?
The origins of the celebration date back to the 16th century, when the Trinitarian monks brought their devotion to the cult of San Blas and the celebration of his feast day to San Javier and La Ribera.

Traditionally, terracotta figures of San Blas were placed above the bed of children in the family, in the belief that they would keep throat infections at bay, and these little figures are still sold at this Romeria.

The participants also give out rolls of San Blas, bread and little biscuits baked especially for this day, and blessed by the Priest. One of these has been on the office shelf all year and nobody has had a sore throat, but don´t take our word, try it for yourself.

 

If you´ve never been to a Romeria before, they´re actually very enjoyable. The figure of the saint is carried slowly and the crowd follow, with music playing and all enjoying a festive atmosphere. There´s always music and food, and even though this is essentially a religious event, it has an atmosphere of festivity which many are surprised to find when participating in their first Romeria. However, once you´re hooked, they become an enjoyable day out and the Spanish will travel from all over the region to participate in various Romerias. Don´t just stand there and watch it go past. Turn up at the church for around 10am, although the saint doesn´t come out until 10.30ish.

Join in with the river of people as they pass, and walk to the other end. Squeeze into the chapel with everyone else, then go and find the free paella and enjoy the spring weather. And don´t forget to buy your little terracotta San Blas!

To read more about the History of the cult of San Blas in San Javier, click The Cult of San Blas in San Javier

For more about the history of San Javier, Click History of San Javier

 

 

 

It´s been a little disheartening recently to see how widely this site is obviously being used for research by other local media who have never had the slightest interest in this area, it´s news, or traditions  before. It takes a vast amount of time, cost and research to produce this whole product, so if you would like copy, please ask, otherwise, do your own research.

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