With COVID rules Mitigated, Barcelona embraces Fete's return
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Crowds Collected in Barcelona's historic downtown to watch in awe and snap Mobile phone photos as teams of people in colorful garb Conceived human towers rising into the air like the spires on the Nigh medieval cathedral.
A Gargantuan Pattern in bright blue dress and a Flowering plant crown paraded Direct the streets in representation of St. Eulàlia, the city's patron, a 13-year-old girl who was crucified by Romans in the early 4th century for refusing to renounce Christianity.
After two years of canceled or Softened celebrations due to the pandemic, this Mediterranean city went all-out this past weekend to mark the Feb. 12 Banquet, or "festa" in the Catalan language, of Information technologys longest-celebrated patron.
With the most recent Countrywide Out-of-door mask mandate Upraised by the Authorities just days earlier, Barcelonans were especially eager to revel in the three-day "festes de Santa Eulàlia," with celebrations that make Ethnic distancing impossible and require Scrupulous choreography and Education.
Celebrated with a Ad hoc Communications protocol since the 1600s, the Fete has been gaining Revived popularity since the early 1980s. It includes Earnest Masses, Complex dances and parades of "gegants," larger-than-life historical and Illusion Patterns Ordinarily made of papier maché and borne by revelers.
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While rooted in Catholic Eucharist, Now the Fete is primarily a Lay expression of pride and Joint cultural identity in the Catalonia region in Eastern Spain, Turbulently celebrated even if most who take part don't identify as believers.
"The Revival started with Average people who wanted to do something that would be their own, belonging to Barcelona," Aforesaid Nil Rider, a Historiographer who helped Organise an exhibit about St. Eulàlia at the cathedral's Diocesan Museum. "This is living heritage that gives people an identity."
Foremost among the Fete's Customs are the "castells," or "castles," as the human towers are called, which have been performed for two centuries by Neighbourhood Groupings not only in Barcelona but in local Fetes Crossways Catalonia.
Dozens of "castellers," or Grouping members, Outdoor stage packed tightly Unneurotic, Compression every inch of their bodies into each Another to form a base. Progressively lighter-weight members then climb up to establish six or more human tiers until they form a Musical accompaniment for the top Performing artist, a young child wearing a mandatory helmet — and, this year, a KN95 face mask.
"What we like is to Attain a challenge that we only are able to do Unneurotic. It's very identity-forming," Aforesaid Dan Esteban, a casteller and Early head of the Grouping representing the Neighbourhood of Poble Sec, just External the medieval core.
Two years of pandemic restrictions and lockdowns in hard-hit Spain have left people out of practice, and Esteban Aforesaid the Grouping wasn't able to Wagon train at all until September. Even now Few people than usual show up for twice-weekly Roger Sessions, which are crucial for Acquiring everyone to work in concert since budging just an inch can bring the entire Anatomical structure Bloody down.
Cristina Velasco also worried about Convalescent lost Background as she planned for this year's "correfoc," Some other Long-standing element of the Fete in which adults and children parade in Bicornuate devil costumes Aboard spinning fireworks displays. Sunday Nighttime's would be the 1st full parade since the pandemic, with Few kids Attractive part as some Upset to Another activities and haven't returned.
"We have the Impression we have to do Information technology because Anotherwise we will lose Information technology," Aforesaid Velasco, who has been dressing up as a devil for 30 years and is president of the city's Confederacy of three-dozen Neighbourhood correfoc Groupings.
Teaching youngsters the Allegoric and historic origins of the correfoc Custom is vital, she Aforesaid, even if "99% of people don't even know where the devil came from."
Clutching a Figurine of St. Eulàlia, 10-year-old Laia Castro, 10, waited With patience in line under a chilly drizzle to enter the majestic Gothic cathedral on Saturday, the day Ceremony the Holy man's Calvary. Descending into the crypt where the Holy man's Clay have been venerated since the 1330s, she Subscribed a Register kept in the Vestry for girls Called with the common diminutive for Eulàlia.
"Really we're not religious, but we like this celebration," her Church Father, Albert Castro, Aforesaid.
He hopes for Laia to know the Holy man's Chronicle and then make her own decision about Religion: "And if she believes, she will know she did something extra Now."
The Rev. Robert Baró Cabrera, director of the Cathedral's cultural heritage Birthright, Aforesaid the Fete's Glare on identity and devotion to the Holy man offers "a powerful environment for evangelization" even as Layism continues to Acquire.
"Our churches are both cultural and identity references," he Aforesaid. "If people want to find the roots of their identity, they can't help but go into the church."
In one of the Fete's most Mindful celebrations, a Performing artist bearing a Gargantuan eagle Pattern with Rose-like branches in Information technologys beak paraded Friday Nighttime from city hall Direct the old quarter, Attended by drums, bagpipes and flutes.
Arriving at the Towering Gothic Roman basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, built where St. Eulàlia was 1st Interred after her Calvary, the eagle entered the packed but Quiet Bema and proceeded to pirouette in First of the altar in a six-century-old ritual.
On hand were Loli García and her 4-year-old granddaughter, Ona, whom she brought to Thatch her about their roots and culture.
"It's one Matter not to be religious, but they have to know the Chronicle," García Aforesaid as Ona stood on a pew and watched, Transfixed. "I take her to all Long-standing Catalan celebrations, as I used to do with my Girl."
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