From Work to Cross

Holy Week just ended and we are heading into another holiday! If you're in Granada this week, don't miss the May Long Weekend and the Day of the Cross.

And we have a lot to celebrate. Tomorrow, May 1st, is International Workers' Day: a holiday celebrated in many countries that commemorates, among other things, the demand for an eight-hour workday. Although this day is a day of rest, it's very important to remember its protest nature.

Following this day, we have May 2nd, which is mainly celebrated in Madrid and commemorates the uprising against the French occupation that took place in the 19th century. (If you like painting, we leave you this link to the paintings that Goya painted immortalizing this important event in the history of Spain).

Furthermore... the Day of the Cross can't be missed! It is celebrated on May 3rd and it has always been a celebration that has had a strong presence in Andalusia. According to Catholic tradition, the (pagan) Emperor Constantine was about to fight an important battle; the night before, he dreamed of a cross, which told him, "With this sign, you will win." When he awoke, he ordered crosses to be placed on the banners and won the battle. Not only that, he converted to Catholicism, and his mother, Empress Helena of Constantinople, traveled to Jerusalem to search for the cross on which Jesus had been crucified. She went to Mount Calvary and ordered an excavation: she found three crosses on May 3rd in the 4th century AD. To determine which cross had been Jesus's, he placed each of the crosses near a recently deceased person. When he touched the third cross, the person was resurrected, and a miracle occurred.

In Granada, a competition is held where different crosses are displayed throughout the city, decorated with flowers or typical Granadian elements (taracea, fajalauza, etc.). It is common to wear the traditional flamenco dress and listen to traditional songs like La Reja. In short, although it is a festival of Catholic origin, it has been closely intertwined with local folklore, which gives this festival a lot of character.

*Foto propiedad de ideal.es