Las Cruces de Mayo: that beautiful floral celebration in spring Las Cruces de Mayo or also called Santa Cruz de Cristo is a festivity that consists of installing large crosses of flowers in the streets and squares of cities. It is a holiday celebrated in many places in Spain
The May Crosses or also called Holy Cross of Christ It is a festival that consists of installing in the streets and squares of the cities large flower crosses.
It is a holiday celebrated in many places in Spain and Latin American countries (Mexico, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Peru, Venezuela...). However, it has peculiarities in each place where it is celebrated.
The day designated for this popular festival is May 3, However, in many places the celebrations take place throughout the weekend and even during much of the month of May.
Did you know that it is one of the most important festivals celebrated in spring in Spain? If you want to know more about these popular festivals, their origin and how they are celebrated in Valencia, keep reading... You won't be able to avoid the temptation to come and experience it!
The religious origins of the festival of the Holy Cross of May They are based on the discovery of the cross that Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, made during her pilgrimage to Jerusalem right in the same place where Christ died.
The history of the festival of the cross, with some legend, tells that the Emperor Constantine I the Great, in the sixth year of his reign, he had an unequal battle with the barbarians on the banks of the Danube River, whose victory was believed impossible because of the difference between the two armies.
One night before the battle, the ruler had a vision in which the holy cross of Christ appeared bright in the sky and above the cross some words “In Hoc Signo Vincis” (With this sign you will win).
Constantine had a cross built to place at the front of his army.
And guess what happened?
With the cross of Jesus Christ he defeated the enemies against all odds!
Later, he found out the meaning of the holy cross, had himself baptized into the Christian religion and had churches built.
Such was his faith that he sent his mother, Saint Helena, to Jerusalem to find the cross of Christ.
And she found it on Mount Calvary, where the death of Christ was located.
He found three crosses and to discover which was the real cross where Jesus died, he had a trick: he placed sick or dead people on the crosses and upon contact with the real one, those people were cured or resurrected.
From that moment veneration of the cross of Christ arises, since the mother of the emperor, until the end of her days, asked all Christians to celebrate the commemoration of the day on which she found the cross that symbolized the passion of Christ, the day May 3.
The story of the May Cross of Constantine I the Great is very much a legend, as you might be thinking, right?
The story was considered in its time as that of the perfect Christian and was surrounded by a multitude of fabulous stories.
There is hardly any documented data on the popular celebration of the festival related to the Holy Cross and the first testimonies that we know of date back to the 18th century.
The celebration of the May Crosses, as we know it today, reached its peak between the 18th and 19th centuries.
But don't worry, as of today there are no sick people or deaths in the celebration, in fact it is one of the most joyful and visual festivals of religious origin, whose protagonists are the flowers.
Image from Shutterstock
The festival of the May Crosses It is widespread throughout Spain as a Roman rite, although with some differences depending on where it is celebrated.
The center of the festival is the holy cross, which has different sizes, depending on where it is located and placed: in squares, streets, courtyards, etc.
The crosses are decorated and decorated with flowers, plants and other objects made as decorations for the occasion.
The May Crosses are very rooted and are well recognized in different parts of Spain (Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Cartagena, Canary Islands, Segovia, Valencia, etc.).
Would you like to know the peculiarities of some of the places where they are held?
We tell you more…
The Festival of the May Crosses in the city of Córdoba It is celebrated the first weekend in May. It consists of placing crosses decorated with flowers and other decorative elements in different squares, streets, passages, etc.
The streets are flooded with life: tourists and locals celebrating throughout the city. People wear Manila shawls.
The Cruces of Cordoba can be visited during the day and night, accompanied by music shows, dances, food and drinks.
All the crosses participate, competing to be the most beautiful and original, in the popular contest organized by the City Council each year that rewards the best decorated crosses.
The neighbors and popular clubs They are the ones in charge of creating and decorating the crosses, giving color and beauty to the city.
Córdoba tourism multiplies during this celebration.
The Festival of the Cross takes place in Granada and its province on May 3.
The first celebrations as we know them today deal with 17th century in the San Lorenzo neighborhood. In that first celebration, an alabaster cross was made and the neighbors celebrated by singing and dancing with it.
In Granada it is typical to decorate the crosses of the altar the but (the Golden apple) and the scissors. These pes (apples) are placed next to the holy cross with scissors stuck into them.
The meaning of but and the nailed scissors It's very curious. It is a kind of warning to the townspeople and their gossip. It refers to no one putting “buts” to the decoration of the cross, it is better not to criticize the decoration.
But not only that, the but what about the scissors They also serve to ward off bad luck.
Image from Shutterstock
The celebration of the history of the May Cross in Latin AmericaHowever, it is a religious commemoration whose origin is dates back to the Spanish conquest.
The missionaries did not know the native language and their mission was to preach. They used the holy cross to spread the message of Christ.
The cross was easy to build and was located in a visible place to evangelize the community and religious services were held there.
The missionaries created brotherhoods that maintained the worship of the cross during the month of May with processions through different places where flowers were offered to the cross and alms were given.
The festival of the May Crosses It is also celebrated in different countries Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela.
Where a large number of crosses are decorated with colorful flowers, processions are held and the crosses are venerated in places visible to the entire population. A spectacle worth visiting if one day you have the opportunity.
And, of course, it is also celebrated in our beautiful Valencia the festival of the May crosses. It is a Valencian religious festival of great tourist interest.
The crosses are installed in squares, avenues, streets, etc. They are crosses of different sizes decorated with flowers of different colors, providing the city with the joy of their beautiful colors.
In Valencia the cultural society Lo Rat Penat, in collaboration with the Valencia City Council, organize the May Crosses Competition.
This contest awards the prize to the best cross by virtue of the quantity and quality of the flowers, their variety, their chromatic composition, the native flora and, in general, all the ornamental elements that can exalt the holy cross.
Cultural entities and businesses, Fallas commissions, parishes, schools and individuals within the municipality of Valencia participate in this popular contest.
The contest has become a traditional Valencian festival, so much so that it has become a must-see route through the decorated streets of Valencia for nature lovers.
What are the prizes? you may be wondering.
The special category awards They are distributed as follows:
In other words, in addition to enjoying the good spring weather in Valencia, seeing this beautiful show spread throughout the city, learning more about our culture, there is the possibility of winning a good prize...
Well, it's not bad at all!
After knowing what the festival consists of, its history, how it is celebrated in different places and how it is celebrated in Valencia, are you still thinking about coming to see it?
And you? Do you know anything more about the Festival of Crosses? Tell us in comments, we would love to know your opinion and if you have ever experienced this holiday.
And, of course, if you want to know these popular festivals in Valencia and learn or improve your Spanish with our Spanish courses… At Hispania, a Spanish school, we are waiting for you with open arms.
Article written for Hispania, Spanish school.
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