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Moors and Christians
Patron saint festivities of La Vila Joiosa declared of International Tourist Interest.
According to tradition, on July 29, 1538, the inhabitants of La Vila Joiosa saw their homes, their orchards, their lives in danger... when they glimpsed forty Saracen galleys on the high seas that wanted to conquer the coast of La Vila Joiosa.
The bells ring the general alarm, and the people of La Vila Joiosa prepare for defense. The whips draw near, the fighting intensifies, and when the Saracen invasion seems certain, the inhabitants of La Vila Joiosa pray to heaven for intercession. Saint Martha, the saint of the day, summons a powerful gale that drives the crescent moons back out to sea. Since that July 29th, the people of La Vila Joiosa, in gratitude, have proclaimed Saint Martha the Patron Saint of La Vila Joiosa, and in her honor, every July, they celebrate the Moors and Christians festival, with a unique and distinctive event: the Landing. A true spectacle of light, gunpowder, and revelry in which the people of La Vila Joiosa reenact this historical event.
The Moors and Christians festival in La Vila Joiosa, declared of International Tourist Interest, becomes a meeting point for thousands of people every year from July 24th to 31st. They discover a perfect combination of tradition, history, spectacle, and celebration in the truest sense of the word. In La Vila Joiosa, no one feels like a stranger; every visitor is a member of the festivities.
The open and jovial character of the people of Villajoyosa, the streets full of music bands, the "cuarteles" (festival venues) open to all visitors, both local and foreign, and the program of events, organized by the Associació Santa Marta, in which history and tradition become a celebration each year, are what characterize these festivities.
Don't miss:
-July 24. Entrance of the bands. To the rhythm of a pasodoble, the bands that will accompany us during the festival days are presented, preceded by the captain of each festival company.
-July 25th and 26th. Moors and Christians Parade (the order of parade on the first day is rotated each year). The troops enter the city in their finest attire and with grand displays that leave no one indifferent.
-July 27: Smugglers' Shipment and Embassy, Presentation of Moorish troops to their King, and Bedouin Embassy. Both smugglers and Bedouins offer their services to their respective kings to help them achieve their objective: to defend and conquer La Vila, respectively.
-July 29: Saint Martha's Day. Solemn Mass and procession. Fireworks display in the evening.
-July 30th: Traditional Paella Competition.
-July 31: Parade of Floats with the participation of boys and girls from the different festival companies.
Landing:
From July 27th to 28th, La Vila Joiosa experiences its magical night. It seems like just another night of festivities, with music playing in the barracks, but at 3:00 AM the ritual begins. Moorish troops go to the port to embark on 35 galleys, flying the crescent moon, simulating those that approached the shores of La Vila in July 1538. At 4:30 AM on Costera la Mar, at the foot of the city walls, "La Baixada dels Cristians" (The Descent of the Christians) takes place, a descent to the beach transformed into a veritable encampment where the Christians await the enemy.
Gunpowder takes center stage, and the tranquility of a summer night on the Villajoyosa coast is shattered by arquebuses, cannons, pyrotechnics... A true cinematic spectacle, without actors, featuring real people, the men and women of Villajoyosa who yearn to reach the promised land, the men and women of Villajoyosa who defend their home...
In the heat of battle, a white flag approaches the shore... the firing ceases. The emissary of the Moorish King arrives before the Christian King and hands him the parchment demanding his surrender to avoid the battle. The document is torn to shreds, the emissary is thrown back into the sea, the fighting intensifies, the image of Saint Martha appears on the horizon, and once again, almost five centuries later... the battle begins.
Held from July 24th to 31st, the festivities include events such as the arrival of bands, parades, embassies, the Desembarc (the traditional Catalan landing), Saint Martha's Day, paella, and floats. The Desembarc is a particularly noteworthy event.
Practical Information
July 24-31; Landing in the early morning of July 28.