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On Easter Sunday, traditional Easter buns are eaten on country
picnics with good food and the sweet «mond», a bun with a
hard-boiled egg set in the middle. The custom is to break the
shell of the egg on the forehead of someone you love!
On the Thursday of the second week following Easter, there is a
pilgrimage to Santa Faz.
The Divine Face, by El Greco
From eight o'clock in the morning, tens
of thousands of people walk in pilgrimage to the monastery which
conserves the purported relic of the linen cloth used to wipe
the face of Christ on the road to Calvary The cloth was brought
from the Vatican in the XV Century and the festivity dates back
to 1489, the year in which the bearer of the cloth made its
existence public. Both religious and profane aspects are
combined in this festivity. An enormous number of Alicantinos take
part in this pilgrimage in their devotion to the Divine Face.
May brings the festivity of the May Crosses when the typical
streets of the Santa Cruz section of the town are adorned with
flowery crosses.
Moors and Christians parade.
The third week in June takes us to the San Bias section of the
town to celebrate their festivities of Moors and Christians -in
commemoration of the ancient medieval combats that took place
during the Arab invasion of Spain. Particularly exciting are the
entrances, the parades by both sides and the ostentatious
costumes. From 20 to 24 of this month, the Alicantinos enjoy
their main festivities the Hogueras de San Juan -declared of
International Tourist Interest. These last until 29th, the
festivity of San Pedro, and are concluded by a spectacular
fireworks display known as the «Nit del Foc» offered by the
Firework Firm who won the previous year's firework display
competition. The «hogueras» (literally; «bonfires») are artistic
monuments made from papier mache and set alight on the night of
San Juan. Of the numerous events taking place, we would
underline the cavalcades, the flower offering, the bullfights,
the street parties, etc.
San Juan's "Nit de Foc".
On 16th July, the festivity of the Virgen del Carmen, the patron
saint of sea-fa rers, is celebrated both in the main town and on
the Isle of Tabarca. A procession of decorated boats takes
place, with firework displays. On 5th August a procession is
held in honour of the town's Patron Saint, la Virgen del Remedio
and there are recitals, concerts and other artistic exhibitions
during the days leading up to and following that date.
From mid-August, the Altozano and Miguel Hernandez sections of
the town organize their festivities of Moors and Christians.In September; the old fishermen's quarters in the «Raval Roig»
honour their patron saint, la Virgen del Socorro, with a
procession, street parties, gastronomic competitions, etc.
On a cultural level, two important events take place this month:
the National Theatre Forum and the International Festival of
Contemporary Music.
Nativity Scene
In December; there is a great International Marionette Festival,
known as «Festititeres» which is highly popular.
The year ends with the Christmas festivities and the town adorns
and illuminates its streets and shop windows with exhibitions of
Nativity Scenes and Dioramas. Alicante is filled with light and
cheer until the night of the 31 stf when the traditional twelve
grapes are eaten to the twelve chimes of the Town Clock and a
toast is drunk to the New Year in the hope that it will be
better than the Old Year. It will certainly be made more
cheerful with so many festivities.
HOLY WEEK
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