MILITARY MIGHT IN FIESTAS.
Last week the annual celebrations of St. Christopher were held in Torrevieja and Orihuela. Normally this would be a few weeks later, but the late Easter has meant that organisers have had to bring it forward.
St. Christopher is the patron saint of road users and in the Vega Baja he is that protector saint of taxi drivers, although no one seems to know that the Vatican shed his name from the ranks of saints years ago saying he was a myth. In the past few years this Vega Baja feast has been enlarged to include Spain's military forces, international ex-servicemen associations including British ones, military bands and classic cars. Quite a spectacular sight.
We are now in the run up to the Holy Week processions and every town will have some representation of the security forces in their ranks. In past years we have seen the olive green clad Spanish Legion smartly marching with their buglers and also cavalry resplendent in their blue jackets and brass buttons. The Guardia Civil also wear dress uniforms in these and other parades. In the past some form of military or militia escort accompanied most processions. At some of the parades firearms were shot in the air to add a bit of noise; and it is from this that today we get the customary rockets and bangers that often disturb the early morning when a Diana is required. The Diana is an early crack of dawn call, almost always with a marching band and noisy rockets just to let everyone know that there is a fiesta on the day. Every year Semana Santa committees try to improve the processions in some way, by altering a trono (float), changing the style of the lanterns, etc. In Torrevieja the place of honour this year is the Golden Capirote that is being awarded to one of the grand old men of the town, Tomas Martinez, who had a beautiful textile shop in the town centre for decades. Holy Week processions in larger towns often have a group of Roman legionnaires accompanying Jesus to his death, notably in Cartagena, Orihuela and Rojales. Torrevieja used to have such a group, but it was disbanded after a dispute with the organising committee. This was a pity as over the years this group developed from a small marching unit to a fully fledged mini-procession with cavalry, chariots, and lovely Vestal Virgins with baskets of flowers and fruit…and even a rubbish collector behind the horses gathering the manure! Fortunately, a group of youngsters are going to bring the Roman legion out of mothballs and appear in this year's processions. Obviously Christ on the cross is a central part of these celebrations and on 5th March a special cross will be in the main Inmaculada church of Torrevieja. This is one that is carried round the world as part of the preparations for the Youth Week that this year will be held in Madrid from 16th to 23rd August. Hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world will participate in this event and at least a thousand of them will be staying part of the time in Torrevieja, being hosted by the local people.
It is amazing that many people have hang-ups about Jews, call themselves Christians and are unaware that Jesus was a Jew. I love the Jewish sense of humour because like we miserable Scots they are able to laugh at themselves.
There was an elderly Southern widow who lived in a large mansion in Virginia. She was feeling generous when it came to Easter, so she called up the local military base, and asked to speak with the lieutenant.
"Please send up four nice young men to eat dinner here at Easter, but please, don't send any Jews. Please, no Jews."The lieutenant replied, "No problem ma'am, and I am sure I speak for the army when I say we all appreciate your kindness."Easter arrived, and the widow went to answer the door when it rang. She was surprised to see four of the blackest boys that anyone had ever seen, especially in the South. "But... But... There must be some mistake," she stammered. One of them replied, "No ma'am, Lieutenant Goldstein doesn't make mistakes.
By Andy Ormiston (author of Torrevieja Cameos)