Winter
Spring
Summer
Semana Santa
Carnaval
Murcia
Aguilas
Cartagena
Prehistory
| More December Events: Catalonian International Film Festival, Sitges, cinemasitges.com at imdb.com Christmas Feria de Santa Lucía, Barcelona ihes.com/bcn/spanish /barcelona/christmas_ in_barcelona.html Barcelona by RoughGuides/ TravelNow Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos, Alicante comunitat valenciana.com Festival Música Antigua, Úbeda/ Baeza festivalubeday baeza.org /festival.htm |
Festivals, Fiestas, Ferias & Feasts Immaculate Conception || Three Kings Festival || Tamborrada de San Sebastian |
December
Before moving into Advent, the Church calendar ends in December with the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
Fiestas Patronales de la Virgen del Castillo
8th of December. Yecla, Murcia.
Among the celebrations in the Virgin's honour are a procession of her image from the shrine of the castle and special Mass.
The origin of Christmas and other celebrations commemorating the birth of Christ on the 25th of December was chosen for ideological reasons, with the purpose being to combat the winter solistice pagan sun festival held on the same day or on solistice itself (December 21st). The Roman Saturnalia, the great year-end Carnaval, was also held at this time. The earliest recorded festivals of this nature come to us from Egypt.
Navidad
December 25. Murcia.
In this pre-Christian tradition, in the early hours of the 25th of December, the "campanas de auroras" (dawn bells) group "Los Auroro" perform their ancient and sober compositions.
Navidad
December 24-25. Lesaca, Navarra.
Among the most unusual Christmas celebrations is that of the "Olentzero," wherein the story of a charcoal burner who comes down from the mountains to the town to tell the good news is depicted. The character of the "Olentzero" or "Olentzaro," to be found in various places in Navarra and Guipuzcoa, has been preserved in Lesaca especially, where he is carried shoulder-high by many different groups on Christmas Eve.
Cant de Sa Sibilla/Hymn to St Sibyl
December 25. Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands.
Preparations for Christmas take the form of morning choruses and the "Canta de San Sibilla" throughout the south of France, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Corsica. This festival was banned by the Council of Trent (possibly for its pagan roots). Nevertheless, the Bishop of Mallorca decided to allow it to take place: hence its preservation. The word sibyl means a revealer of the counsels of God, or a prophetess. Her story is in the Old Testament.
Navidad
December-January. Barcelona, Catalunya.
Nativity plays are very widespread in Spain, especially in Catalonia, where they are called "pessebres" (crib-performances) or "pastorests" (shepherd plays) and acted out by the local townspeople. One of the better-known "pessebres" takes place in Corbera de Llobregat (Barcelona).
El Greco
The Immaculate Conception
1610s. Oil on canvas. Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Lugano-Castagnola, Switzerland
| Immaculate Conception is the 8th of December. The Immaculate Conception of Mary was promulgated as dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin or its stain (that’s what "immaculate" means: without stain). From the first instant of her existence, Mary was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature original sin brings. |
