“Turn off (the lights) and let's go”

Without a doubt, the posts regarding local expressions are some of our favorites. So, today we bring back this topic to give you the most curious and weird sayings from Granada that you can apply in your daily life. As in the previous publication, we will move to Alpujarra to find the origin of the expression “turn off (the lights) and let's go”. This time we will not take you to Lanjarón, but to Pitres. According to the official INE census, the number of inhabitants is 437, and it is always around that figure. Keep this in mind because it is important to understand what we are going to tell you next.

It is said that a long time ago, there were two priests in the town who aspired to be the chaplain of the church; Because it is a rather small town, there is only the Parish of San Roque, so it was a unique opportunity. To compete fairly and appropriately, one of the clerics suggested to the other that the position would go to whoever would officiate the mass in the shortest time possible.

It seems that it was the senior clergyman who proposed the idea and who started the mass. Well, instead of using the inaugural formula of the liturgy (which was Introibo ad altare Dei, “I am going to the altar of God”), he decided to recite the final formula for the masses, "Itte misa est" (“be gone, the Mass is over”). The young clergyman, upon seeing his competitor's move, turned to the altar boy to tell him “turn the candles off and let's go.” The phrase was very literal, since at the end of the mass the candles lit during it were extinguished, marking its end. Therefore, he was no longer eligible for the position of chaplain.

When we use this expression we usually refer to something being hopeless, to end something and also as an exclamation of surprise when we hear or see something absurd or scandalous.