The day of Dolores

Hi and welcome,
this blog is about our visit to a festival in Aguilas - the Day of Dolores, (the virgin of suffering.)
The majority of people in Spain are still nominally Catholic, but the number of 'practising Catholics' is diminishing. However every town and village in Spain has their 'own Saint' and thus their own Fiesta Day - so you could go to a fiesta somewhere in Spain every day of the year! They are very popular as everyone, except essential services (such as hospitals and bars) gets a day off.

 We arrive at the Plaza de Espana around mid-day on a beautiful, sunny day, to find it packed. Waiters are dashing across the road with trays of drinks and tapas. After about an hour people start arriving in traditional Murcian dress; the women in blouses and beautifully embroidered full skirts in primary colours with matching aprons and shawls. Coloured laces criss-cross their white stockinged legs.

   The young women are exquisite. Their glossy dark hair is piled up on their heads, intricately plaited or curled, and held in place with coloured ribbons, combs and sparkling beads. With them are children, toddlers and even tiny babies, all in costume from their minute shoes upwards.

Men too are in costume. Youths with studs in their chins and spiky hair wear royal blue silken trousers, with white or coloured tunics. They chat and laugh with their friends, they seem to be proud to be taking part and having fun.

   The noise level rises and chatting people drift in and out of the church where a mass is taking place.Traditional music blasts out of speakers. When the mass finishes, people queue airport style around blue velvet covered barriers, to hand bunches of flowers to a man who is cramming them into a metal tower fifteen foot up in to the air.

   The speeches start as the marching band arrives playing drums, cornets and trumpets. There isn't enough room for them to reach the stage so they play in the street instead. Ornate and large displays of flowers are presented by various groups - cue applause and shouts of "Viva" from the crowd. The noise level is tremendous, the atmosphere a bit like being at a very good-natured football match.

 An enormous statue of the Virgin is carried out from the interior of the church to the doorway and the square resounds with  cries of, "Viva la Virgin de Dolores!" A group from the local village sets up on stage, (aged from three to what looks like ninety three,) they are equipped with guitars and castanets. A traditional saeta - a lament is sung. Even the crowd pause to listen to its chilling sadness. Then there are displays of traditional dancing and more shouts of, "Viva" from the crowd. More chairs and tables are brought out of bars - the waiters activity is frenetic!

    By early afternoon people are staring to drift away. After all the Virgin will  be carried out properly and paraded around the town with attendants and the band playing later tonight. This is just the start of a series of parades that take place throughout Easter week.

Interestingly this isn't an event put on for tourists - there are no more than a dozen of us foreigners present. It's simply a celebration by local inhabitants, everyone enjoying the colour and noise. It makes me wonder if we're losing something in England with our headlong rush into modernity. Soon even the Morris Men will be gone.What do you think? I'd love to have your comments. (If the comments link is difficult my web address is writerinaguilas@gmail.com )

In a weeks time, it will be a year since the earthquake in nearby Lorca, so in my next blog, ( Sunday 20th May approximately,) I'll be sharing my recent visit there with you.

Thanks for joining me.