Festa de la Mercè

It was back in the 13th century that La Madonna de la Mercè, the Madonna of Largesse, appeared in a dream to local saint Pere Nolasc, bidding him to establish a religious order to succour Christians captured by Barbary pirates. In 1637 the Madonna saved Barcelona from a plague of locusts, and her status as patron saint of the city was assured for ever more.

The festival in her honor was a tame affair until a few years ago. Under General Franco's regime it was limited to a couple of pallid processions. After the old dictator's death in 1975 (ending 35 years of repression of the language and customs of Catalunya) the Festa de la Mercè took off in a big way, a popular explosion of delight in new-found freedom.

Whatever was big, bright and Catalunyan - carnival giants, human towers, traditional music and dancing - was borrowed from the various local festivals of the region and hitched on to Barcelona's big day. Since then the festival has swollen into a huge multi-day affair, and has grown far away from its original religious and very localised roots. Not that the participants or spectators care. The Festa de la Mercè is not some synthetic revival dreamed up by the tourist board; it is a joyful, rowdy expression of Catalunyan, and especially Barcelonian, identity.

We happened upon the festa during our first weekend in Barcelona.  It was not just the annual celebration- but the 800th anniversary of La Madonna de la Mercè appearance to Saint Pere Nolasc.

In the warmth of the late evening- it was about 10:30 PM, we made our way back from the Ramblas, and took up station among the buzzing crowds for the Giants' Parade near city hall. Thunderflash explosions from the direction of Plaça de Catalunya heralded the appearance of the grotesques.  These giants came through with marchers and drummers from the gates of the old Barcelona City Hall.

Els Gegants de la Ciutat

Ara ballen, ara ballen;

Els Gegants de la Ciutat

Ara ballen pel terrat.

'The Giants of the City,

Now they dance, now they dance,

The Giants of the City,

Now they dance on the roof ... '

In addition to the parade, the Festa had stages set up all over the old city.  There were music performers on 3 stages in the Plaça de Catalunya, one in front of the city's main cathedral, another near City Hall.

Click on the picture of the Horse (to the right)

from the Parade of the Grotesque in order to continue on with us to France