Friday, May 29, 2015

San Vincente Martir

As I was wandering central city one day, I came across a procession with a marching band playing stirring music. It turns out this was the San Vincente Martir feast day,  the patron Saint of Valencia. 
He was martyred under the Emperor Diocletian around the year 304, killed as part of the persecution against Christians and for how he spoke up for his church. After dying for his sufferings, it was said that ravens protected his body until his followers could recover him and bury him. 
To this day he is invoked  by sailors, vintners and brick-makers.

 Regardless it was rather awesome to come across people dressed in such wonderful costumes and even being transported by horse and carriage. 

Somber trumpets followed the procession, and the people lining the street threw Rosemary and Orange tree sprigs onto the street - why I don't know.


Some of the last in the procession bore this flag, although why I don't know. I was pretty happy to have accidentally stumbled across such a cool celebration. 
It ended in Plaza De la Reina as with great ceremony they all entered the church. 

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