The Moors and Christians will be marching in Castalla from the 1st to the 4th September 2024. They will be commemorating the 700 years of Moorish occupation of the area which took place between the 7th and 14th century. During the Moorish rule there were many battles with the Christians, and so the fiesta focuses on these! The English programme for the event is:
Sunday 1st September ‘The Entrance’
12:00 Opening Ceremony from the town hall balcony, followed by the Mascletas and the L’Arranc (fiesta hymn) performed by the music bands.
17:00 Entrance Parade of the Moors & Christians.
22:00 Procession with the statue of the Santísima Virgen de la Soledad from the Ermita de la Sang to the Parish Church accompanied by the Moors and Christians who will be firing their blunderbuss guns.
12:00 Opening Ceremony from the town hall balcony, followed by the Mascletas and the L’Arranc (fiesta hymn) performed by the music bands.
17:00 Entrance Parade of the Moors & Christians.
22:00 Procession with the statue of the Santísima Virgen de la Soledad from the Ermita de la Sang to the Parish Church accompanied by the Moors and Christians who will be firing their blunderbuss guns.
Tuesday 2nd September ‘First day of Thunder’
08:00 Diana, early morning parade of the music bands and ringing of the church bells.
12:00 Parade with Gunfire, from the Plaza Mayor.
17:30 War between the Moors and Christian in the Plaza Major, finishing with the Christian surrender.
21:00 Procession of the patron saint la Santísima Virgen de la Soledad accompanied by all the troops and their musical bands.
08:00 Diana, early morning parade of the music bands and ringing of the church bells.
12:00 Parade with Gunfire, from the Plaza Mayor.
17:30 War between the Moors and Christian in the Plaza Major, finishing with the Christian surrender.
21:00 Procession of the patron saint la Santísima Virgen de la Soledad accompanied by all the troops and their musical bands.
Wednesday 3rd September ‘Day of the Offering’
08:00 Diana, early morning parade of the music bands and ringing of the bells.
12:30 Children’s Parade from Avda. Republica Argentina to la Plaza Mayor.
19:00 Flower Offering Procession in honour of the Santísima Virgen de la Soledad.
08:00 Diana, early morning parade of the music bands and ringing of the bells.
12:30 Children’s Parade from Avda. Republica Argentina to la Plaza Mayor.
19:00 Flower Offering Procession in honour of the Santísima Virgen de la Soledad.
Thursday 4th September ‘Second day of Thunder’
08:00 Diana, early morning parade of the music bands and ringing of the church bells.
12:00 Parade with Gunfire, to the Plaza Mayor.
17:30 War between the Moors and Christian in the Plaza Major, finishing with the Moorish surrender.
21:00 Parade of the Pujada with all the Moors and Christians troops and their music bands from the Parish church via the Placeta de Carreter where the closing song will be preformed, then onto the finish at the Ermita de la Preciosísima Sangre.
08:00 Diana, early morning parade of the music bands and ringing of the church bells.
12:00 Parade with Gunfire, to the Plaza Mayor.
17:30 War between the Moors and Christian in the Plaza Major, finishing with the Moorish surrender.
21:00 Parade of the Pujada with all the Moors and Christians troops and their music bands from the Parish church via the Placeta de Carreter where the closing song will be preformed, then onto the finish at the Ermita de la Preciosísima Sangre.