Rosemary

I have just been talking to my daughter and said that we have had a long lull really of living what we would call a 'normal' life. But that has changed in the last week and we are back to the extremely late nights and being tired because we have not adapted our sleeping habits yet.

Have to start slowing down and having a rest in the afternoons instead of going out shopping etc.

Rosemary

Carol&John

Hi Rosemary,
Thank you for posting this interesting thread and the photos. Do you know the name of the patron saint for the town's fiesta? Could have something to do with the care of the elderly and infirm, as you mentioned. A bit like St. Francis, and children & small animals.
Regards,
Carol

Rosemary

The patron saint of the town is Mare De Deu and is well and truly celebrated with illuminations, procession and fantastic fireworks in September. It is not an important year because all of the banners had dates on about two years ago. It was the smaller statue of Mare de Deu not the huge one that is used in September.

We have a town calendar which has all of the saints names on it and the ones that are celebrated in this town are highlighted. On Sunday it was Saint Teodor but was not highlighted so that is why we are so perplexed.

So glad that you have enjoyed reading the thread we were afraid that people would find it boring.

Rosemary

jonsol

[QUOTE=The Oddities;4685052]Correcto.

How did you guess that the old grey haired git is my OH?

Well, it was easy, he is the only one looking at the camera ! !

Rosemary

[QUOTE=jonsol;4689619] So, so vain.

Not really, he was so thrilled to be taking part. A memory that will live on for him when he is totally past it.

Rosemary

brisca

[So glad that you have enjoyed reading the thread we were afraid that people would find it boring.]


Not a chance Rosemary!

It's great - just what life in Spain is all about

brisca

[QUOTE=jonsol;4689619]

That, and the fact that he didn't look "typically Spanish!"

I forget that I am blonde (ish!) with blue eyes, so I don't exactly blend in!!
There I was in a bar with 3 Spanish friends the other day, all hot and bothered and red faced after walking 15km in 25 degree heat - and the barman said to me "So where are you from then?"
When I told him I was English, he said "I could tell from your colouring that you weren't Spanish!!"

derek500

The celebrations could have been for Sant Jordi (our very own St George). Yesterday, April 23, was St George's day and the local Valencian TV channel, Canal Nou, was showing quite a bit of footage of Sant Jordi processions around the Comunidad especially in Alcoi.

Rosemary

I have a feeling that it was not Sant Jordi because here they tend to hold things on the actual day regardless of whether it is a normal working day. Good excuse to have a day off work!!

Rosemary

Lionda

And yet here in England it is practically ignored

Just for the record - one of my cats turned 13 on St. Georges Day so he is now a teenager

Carol&John

Hi Rosemary,
Thank you for your reply. I've been googling, and came up with some info on St Teodor (there are several!), which confirms the bit about healing the sick, and also to ward off insects! (Did I read this correctly? )
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintt95.htm
Regards,
Carol

Rosemary

Brilliant. Thank you very much.

I had found the name but no information so very glad that you had managed to get the info.

It is so interesting looking into why the Spanish people celebrate things and the lengths they will go to. As I said there was hours and hours of painting by a lot of people and the procession I think only lasted about 30 minutes.

A wonderful experience of true Spanish life and confirms why we chose to live with them.

Thank again

Rosemary

Carol&John

Hi Rosemary,
It's a sign of devotion, I guess; all this in preparation for the procession. There's certainly enough of a "guilt" feeling, innate in the RC religion; perhaps that's why there are so many fiestas?
It reminds me of a time when my mother lost an earring, and she said we had to pray to St Anthony. Lo! and behold! There, in a shaft of moonlight (or the glare from the petrol station forecourt's spotlight), lay the lost earring. Amen! Gracias a San Antonio!
Regards,
Carol

Rosemary

There you go then they do know what they are doing praying to all the different saints for different things.

I am now wondering whether the painting is to be kept up as I saw one of the neighbours who did not help with the initial painting actually touching up the paint after her car was taken out of the garage. So who knows by the end of the year this thread may be huge with updates.

Do you know who the patron saint of builders is as we have been waiting since October to have our windows replaced!!!!

Rosemary

Carol&John

There's a saint for every sinner! And, I do believe there IS a saint for builders - let me google a bit more...
Hasta pronto,
Carol