El Día de la Cruz

El Día de la Cruz takes place every year on May 3^rd, and is one of the greatest holidays here in Granada. The legend is that May 3^rd commemorates the day that some king found the cross of Christ. Out of that nice story has developed a celebration worth seeing for anyone visiting Spain.

55 different crosses made out of flowers were spread all throughout the city, in patios, plazas, in front of town hall...and around the crosses were traditional decorations, such as ceramic plates, potatoes, beautiful rugs, wheel barrows, and other items representing the vibrant culture of Andalucia. One fun tradition is that each group puts a pair of big old scissors and an apple in front of their display. Another colloquial word for apple is > which also means “but”. This little play on words is a serious threat that if you have anything critical to say about the cross (i.e. “The cross is beautiful, BUT…) they will cut your tongue out. How nice.

The displays were beautiful, but definitely not my favorite part. The environment was absolutely electric! People of all ages filled the streets. Many were dressed in the typical gowns and were dancing Sevillana, similar to the more well-known Flamenco. It was a special day, and I’m so excited that I got to be a part of it all!