Fiestas de la Santísima Cruz, Moros y Cristianos de Abanilla
Fiestas in Abanilla: the main fiestas patronales
Although there are a number of different fiestas in Abanilla throughout the year, by far and away the most important are those which take place at the beginning of May, the Fiestas patronales.
While the religious element of these fiestas focuses on the reliquary of the lignum crucis, the Santísima Cruz, which is also the patron of Abanilla, there is a second element to these celebrations in which the well-worn topic of " Moors and Christians" surfaces, providing colour and a party atmosphere, the two kábildes and mesnadas (groups of Moors and Christians) celebrating the historical past of their municipality to enjoy a series of sociable acts together.
Two different bodies organize these fiestas: La Federación de Asociaciones de Fiestas de Moros y Cristianos "Santa Cruz" de Abanilla which takes care of all the details relating to the parade and Moors and Christians element and the Hermandad de la Santa Cruz which organizes the religious acts; the romería of the 3rd May, and romería of September.
The main events take place between the last week of April and the first week of May, including the grand parade of the Moors and Christians on 1st May and the Romería of 3rd May, in which the cross of Abanilla is carried to the church of Mahoya.
In the weeks prior to the main religious celebrations between the 1st and 3rd of May, these groups select the individuals who will carry out the main acts of the fiestas, choosing their fiesta queens, the individuals who will carry the cross in procession etc, and further strengthen the communal society bonds within their groups with “half year fiestas” which take place in November, a sociable event involving entertainment and shared meal.
The Holy Cross of Abanilla
The main religious events revolve around the celebration of the true cross of Jesus, the Santísima y Vera Cruz, over the period of 1st-3rd May. This is a reliquary which reportedly contains splinters from the cross on which Christ was crucified and were supplied with certification from the Vatican after the original reliquery disappeared during the Spanish Civil War. (Click for more information about the Cruz de Abanilla)
Events on the 3rd May
5 am: Parade with drums through the streets.
6 am: Diana floreada wake-up call through the streets with the band Unión Musical Santa Cruz, collecting pages and captains to take them to the church.
7.30 am: Holy mass in the church of San José.
Following Mass, the Romería to the Ermita de Mahoya takes place at about 8 am, with the Santa Cruz carried in procession, accompanied by the Unión Musical Santa Cruz and hundreds of townspeople. The Romería begins with a noisy musket salute from the arcabuceros (musketeers), around 225 of them, and they continue to fire at fixed points along the route, which makes progress of the procession slow.
This romería covers a distance of only around 2km, but takes over 3 hours due to the number of people who attend, the regular stops, and the process of firing off muskets in honour of the patron en route.
On arrival at the church the Santa Cruz is formally presented to the waiting crowds from beneath a canopy on the side of the church, beneath which hangs a large pomegranate. Following this the captains undertake the flag waving ceremony, which consists of waving the flag half to the right, then half to the left, followed by two complete passes to both the left and the right. This is repeated four times. Following this, a child pulls a cord which opens the pomegranate, from which doves fly out, also releasing a shower of water which bathes the cross. Following this, Mass is held and the townspeople disperse to enjoy family picnics in the park area surrounding the small church.
The cross then returns to Abanilla, stopping off at the Ermita de Santa Ana where the flag waving takes place once again.
Click for more information about the municipality of Abanilla.
