Mojácar

Mojácar council joins with those across Almeria´s Levante to suspend this year´s "Día de la Vieja"

Vigente.

 

 

 

Mojácar’s Mayor, Rosmari Cano, has published an order informing the people of the town that, following a telematic meeting with other the Levante Mayors, an agreement was made to cancel this year’s traditional “Día de la Vieja” festivities as a health precaution.

All municipal facilities such as picnic areas, parks, public gardens, etc will be closed as a safety measure and in accordance with the Presidential Decree by the Junta de Andalucía, groups in both public and private spaces, indoors or outdoors, are limited to six people (except in the case of those from the same household).

These rules correspond to the updates in the enforced regulatory provisions in the Decree, which puts safety measures in place throughout the Autonomous Community of Andalucía in order to contain any spread of infection.

         El Día de la Vieja, or, The Old Lady's Day, is a popular fiesta that is celebrated across the Levante falling on the closest Thursday to the middle of Lent and, involves a meal for family and friends outdoors, often in the countryside.

Children play a big part on the day, especially at the end of the meal, when they gather round the “vieja” who is represented by a small, old woman-like doll who has a cloth head stuffed with sweeties. The doll is attached to a wooden cross placed in the ground and, the little ones are in charge of breaking it up to get at the sweets inside.

         It is also typical on the day to sample some "hornazo", a plaited, sweet bread that encloses a hard-boiled egg, although the event is characterized by an abundance of all kinds of food and treats. It is the only festival in Andalucía that is not a holy day and, one which is represented by a pagan figure of La Vieja, although it does have certain religious overtones.