The Way of St. James

One night a monk named Pelagius glimpsed a light in an area of the bishopric of Iria-Flavia (NW Spain). The monk communicated his vision to his superior, Bishop Teodomiro, discovering a cave in the right place inside which came a marble ark where the mortal remains of St. James were found. The Apostle James was the first evangelizer of the Iberian Peninsula. Following his martyrdom and death in Jerusalem, his disciples Athanasius and Theodore moved his remains to the Galician coast, aboard a boat, and there buried the body.

The discovery was made on July 25 of the year 814 and the Asturian monarch, Alfonso II of Asturias, moved on pilgrimage to the place and ordered to build a small basilica and a Benedictine monastery. The little village began to grow into Compostela (whose name derives, according to the medieval tradition, the Latin language "Campus Stellae"). In the year 899 more basilica was consecrated, ordered by King Alfonso III of Asturias.

The discovery of the relics of St. James spread throughout Europe, where the cult of relics was becoming an obsession, like the need to find a binder that served to expel all evil looming over Europe, especially Islam. No wonder the Apostle James "will collaborate" on numerous occasions with the Christian kings in the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula and their armies will fight, courageous, shouting "James and Close Spain".

The first pilgrimages took place between the faithful of the different kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. During the tenth century, Sancho the Great (King of Navarre), made a number of improvements in the route linking the Kingdom of Navarre with the population of Compostela, in order to provide greater security to the pilgrims. Among these improvements, we find the construction of the first hospices and monasteries. This stage will end up with the dreaded raids of Almansor, who came to attack the city of Compostela and stole the bells of the Cathedral of St. James, to take them to Cordoba, loaded on the shoulders of Christian captives.

Later in the tenth century, they are recorded the first French pilgrims. Then, as you could speak of a real Way of St. James, consisting of the so-called French Way. Two entrances, from Canfranc and Roncesvalles, come together in Puente de la Reina, a town that was named after bridge built for the pilgrims to cross the river Arqa. From this village, one path continues across the north of the Iberian Peninsula to its final stage in Finisterre.

In the year 951, it appears registered the first international pilgrimage, registered by the monk Gomez (Abbey of St Martin of Albelda) and carried out by Gottschalk, bishop of Puy. In the eleventh century, the heyday of the Jacobean pilgrimages from all over the known world occurs. The success of the pilgrimages we look at the numerous hospices, hospitals, monasteries and abbeys that launches the Order of Cluny, providing greater "comfort" to the pilgrim. Other promoters of pilgrimages will be the Bishop Diego Gelmírez who managed, in 1095, Pope Urban II moved the episcopal see from Iria-Flavia to Compostela, with category of "Apostolic See" like Rome. Compostela, Rome and Jerusalem become the three most important places of pilgrimage for all Christendom.

The insecurity remained one of the main problems of the pilgrimage, so the Military Order of St. James was created. The objective of this military order was to defend pilgrims from the many dangers that lurked in the way, especially the bandits.

The pilgrims of the same region, departed in groups to defend themselves from dangers, making the trip in a time when the weather was more favorable. Before starting the pilgrimage, they entrusted their assets to a monastery whose abbot gave the pilgrim, his cane, a pumpkin (to carry water), a rosary and a purse. The trip lasted as long as the peregrine wanted. To encourage pilgrimages, pilgrims were exempted from paying tolls, and protected from the rapacity of mayors, gentlemen, waiters and thieves. The pilgrim was respected and protected both by society and by the authorities.

The role of the Way of St. James, was instrumental in the kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe, because through it, there was a fluid cultural, spiritual, economic, artistic and political exchange between the different areas passing this way. The Romanesque and Gothic art penetrated in the Iberian Peninsula, through the Way of St. James. Even immigrants from Europe who settled in Spain (called Franks) came through the Way of St. James.

Giants (Spanish Folk)

Festive giants are large figures representing kings, nobles or people with traditional clothing of the Spanish Middle Ages. They are a very prominent element in most towns in Catalonia (Northeastern Spain).

Origin.

During the late Middle Ages,, in court festivals of various European countries began to adopt the custom of including anthropomorphic dolls, made from wood and cardboard, large designed to hide a man inside. This man, holding them in armor or wooden easel, made the doll dance to the sound of a melody. In the fourteenth century, these dancing figures were incorporated into the procession of Corpus Christi.

In Catalonia, the tradition appears in Barcelona and begins to spread to Valencia and Mallorca. The female figure "giant woman" appears in the sixteenth century.

During the nineteenth century, towns and cities discovered, giants, an expression of local identity. With the arrival of democracy, these figures became a symbol of cultural identity. In 1984, the Association of Groups of Giants of Catalonia is created.

Types of Giants:

• Giants of Arenys de Mar. In this population are the Giants: St. Elmo and Carmen (a fisherman and a fishwife)
• Giants Barcelona. In this city are the giants: King Jaime I "The Conqueror" and Queen Violante of Hungary.
• Bellvís Giants of. In this population are the Giants: Pedro de Bellvís, Lord Bellvís and Ermesinda Moncada, Lady Moncada.
• Giants of Palamos. In this population are the giants: King Pedro III "the Great" and Queen Constance of Sicily.
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The Christmas bonus.

It is remuneration received by the employee, in addition to the usual twelve monthly installments. 

Origin.

The Romans called "strenae" exchanged gifts with friends to honor the gods, and as a sign of happy omen. A Roman tradition attributed the origin of the bonus king Titus Tatius, who was born in the habit of going (on January 1) to pick verbena, Strenua the sacred forest, the Force, or Strenia, the goddess of health, with in order to obtain divine protection during the new year. Another tradition supposed that the people went in procession to the palace to offer, while wishing him a good year, branches of the shrub verbena, considered as a bearer of happiness. The primitive simplicity disappeared, and bonuses came to be more or less luxurious objects, leading to degenerate into abuse.

The bonuses were very varied in nature. Arable bonuses correspond to the Golden Age; Then came the time when these were foods of all kinds; Later consisted of pieces of gold, silver and bronze; then furniture and clothing.

The bonuses were one of the rich expensive practice, ripped the poor, for the servants offered bonuses to their masters, citizens offered it to the princes, and the disciples to their teachers. The force of habit forced some to offer what they did not have. Against this obligation to give, wrote the Fathers of the Church, to prevent many Christians to forget what they were. Through these authors know about the custom of many people, especially the peasants, to put on the doors of their houses (during the night prior to January 1) tables laden with all kinds of food consumed for passersby.

In the Middle Ages, kings, princes and nobles continued to observe this practice.

The bonus as childish habit.

The bonus, in Spain, is also the gift of sweets that are distributed mainly in children's parties and Christmas day. 

It is customary among children, touring the neighborhood, house to house, singing carols accompanied by tambourines, friction drums and empty bottles of anis (like a musical instrument). In this case, instead of asking for money, children always ask for candies and sweets.

The pig slaughter.

The pig slaughter is a regular number one method of slaughter, or pigs, in order to take advantage of his flesh, and elaborate inlays. These sausages are consumed for a year for a family. 

This practice is rooted in many European countries. Once a year it takes place during the coldest winter months (usually December). It usually has a festive and celebratory hand, has an economic side. 

Preparation. 

Arriving in March (spring in the Iberian Peninsula) and the negotiation begins in livestock markets for the purchase of one or more pigs (gilts) for slaughter, to be sacrificed in the month of December. Thus, fattening always started 9 or 10 months before slaughter. The fattening pig was carefully planned, so that was fed to pigs with specific foods: cabbage, pumpkins, potatoes, beets, corncobs, thistles, nettles, wheat flour, rye flour, cereal, apples, pears, quinces, etc. In rural areas, it was common for landlords calculate the number of pigs they need to feed their serfs during the harvest period, depending on the amount of land cultivated, since the pork was the main ingredient of the broth they were given as maintenance.

The fattening. 

In Extremadura, and other regions where the meadows, with oak trees, fattening abound is the last phase of pig breeding. This occurs when pigs are left free in the pasture, coinciding with the ripening and falling acorn, in the months of October, November and December. The fattening on acorns, grass and herbs of the meadow and the physical strain of animal, under liberalization, get their meat has a unique taste. 

Ranching in the northern regions of Spain was characterized by: 

- A strict immobilization of the animal (This is no longer made) in tiny pigsties, of which it is made ​​out to the pig once a day to take a walk around the farm, when the farmers took the opportunity to clean the pigsty . 

- A select different vegetables and diet food, for taking the pig out the appropriate weight of about 15 pounds (200 kg).

The days before slaughter. 

The days before slaughter family meetings were held, usually inviting one or two neighbors and knives were prepared. Then the elders of the family chose a day to do the slaughter, a day that was anticipated without rain, fog, snow or humidity (ideal was a sunny day with a good morning frost). 

The slaughter. 

The day of the massacre have breakfast an hour or two before dawn. A hearty breakfast is usually taken as the day is often hard work. There are people who often accompany breakfast with a glass of brandy.

The session begins has barely left the Sun: between 9 and 10am. The butcher is provided with a hook which engages the jaw pig (the pig is already dead) and takes him to a wooden bench. Next to butcher several women and children with buckets and buckets are positioned to collect the blood and remove pork, preventing curdling. The pig's blood was later used for the production of sausages and pancakes.

Once the animal is bled, proceed to charred, burning the skin of the pig. To do this, it puts the pork on a bed of combustible material (broom, broom, bracken or straw) to remove hair from the skin. Then, with the help of a knife, pig skin is scraped to remove the burnt hair.

Then the pig is opened, and all the viscera are removed carefully keeping them. Part of the viscera, especially the intestines and stomach, are reserved and cleaned of its contents. This operation is performed generally by the women of the family who, all together, they head to the nearest stream and cleaned of all dirt. It is not a pleasant operation since odor, extreme cold and moisture are present during the process.



After this, a sample (from different parts of meat) to the vet in the region is given (usually usually first thing in the morning, the third day of slaughter) and he gives his verdict at noon, if the verdict is positive children, tail pig roast and eat.

In the afternoon we continue with cleaning the viscera and begins to chop the bread, cook the rice and onions to make the sausages. That day, in the evening, a dinner is held on the first pig meat is eaten.

The minced meat is done the day after. In the morning cutting out the parts of the pig is cut up and shared among different "specialists": people who salted hams and pork shoulders; people mince meat, seasoned and added garlic to make chorizo; persons marinating pork loin; people who put salted bacon, etc.

That day, a fire is lit and the first pieces of meat are roasted, seasoned with garlic and paprika, and accompanied by a good young wine.



After eating, the removal of fat from the pork is done. Grease gets into a pot and melt in fire. The liquid fat is left to cool in earthen jars. Part of this fat can be used in soap making.

To embed the sausage special machine is used. This machine, by pressing enter chopped (and seasoned) meat in the gut of the pig.

After smoking occurs. Smoking is a very important operation because it depends on the good condition of the sausage. In this operation the younger people work. Is to put the sausage on a large fire with fire and smoke. The smoked sausage concludes when is dry and suitable for consumption.

Song of the Sibyl.

The Song of the Sibyl is a liturgical drama Gregorian melody was widely publicized during the Middle Ages (in Southern Europe), which is traditionally interpreted in the mince (Midnight Mass) in Churches Island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) and in the city of Alghero (Sardinia, Italy). 

Indeed, Mallorca and Alghero are the only two places in this song is a tradition that extends from the late Middle Ages to today, having been immune to the ban occurred at the Council of Trent (1545-1563). Precisely because of this, on 16 November 2010, this tradition was declared by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Sybil is a doomsday prophetess of classical mythology, introduced and adapted to Christianity by analogy can be drawn between this prophecy and the biblical concept of Judgment. 

The oldest evidence of this Christianized song, and sung in monasteries, is contributed by a Latin manuscript of the Monastery of Saint Martial de Limoges (France), in the Carolingian Empire. In Spain, the oldest document preserved a manuscript of the Visigoth period, belonging to the Mozarabic liturgy. From the eleventh century data also Ripoll manuscript written in Latin, in the field of Hispanic liturgy.

The Song of the Sibyl constituted, therefore, a Christian cultural tradition which had as its central theme the Day of Judgement (trial to be broadcast on Good and bad people). Initially it was not like today's Christmas Eve. 

Letter Song of the Sibyl (Mallorca, XV century).

The day of judgment will come to anyone who has served. 

Jesus Christ, Universal King, eternal God and true man, he will come from the sky. And each one just given. 

Sky will drop a big fire: seas, springs and rivers, everything will burn. Fishes show great shouts, losing natural delights. 

Before Judgment, the Antichrist will come, and everyone will torment. He will be served, as God. Who does not want to believe, he will kill him. 

His reign will be very short. At that time, his power, die martyrs, all on one site, and those two saints, Elijah and Enoch.

The Sun will lose clarity, showing dark and clouded. The moon will not give light and the world will be sad. 

The King of the Universe will say to the wicked, very angrily: 

- Go, you cursed, into the torment! Go with the eternal fire! Go to hell with your prince! 

The King of the Universe will say to the good: 

- My children, come! Blessed, inherit the kingdom which I have given you since the world was created!

Oh humble Virgin! You who have given birth to the baby Jesus tonight.Pray to your son to save us from hell! 

The day of judgment will come to anyone who has served.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BniECJ7GC0

Beef pot.

It is a typical soup northeastern Spanish (Catalonia). This is the first documented written soup in Europe, which is explained in the fourteenth century that was consumed daily by the Catalans. Is notable for use in the boil a 'ball ", which is a great meatball elongated, once cooked, cut into slices to distribute it among the guests, made ​​with ground beef mixed with bacon, egg, bread crumbs or bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and flour. Furthermore, to make the broth, vegetables used (carrot, turnip, leek, green cabbage, etc..) And other ingredients such as chickpeas, potato and chicken meat.

Consumption and habits.

This dish as old and who ate all walks of Catalonia, Valencia, Balearic Islands and Andorra is known by several different names, such as soup, stew, pot, pot mixed. Currently considered more of a winter dish, served hot for, but for a long time was consumed throughout the year, because in summer allowed to recover the nutrients lost in sweat.

Serve:

He served separately:

- The soup is the broth with a bit of pasta (noodles) and rice boiled in it.

- Cooked meat, served after the soup, in a tray that takes oval table and serving each diner with: Ball meat and vegetables used in the cooked, drained and you can dress with olive oil.

ingredients:

- 500 g of chicken.

- 500 g of pork.

- A beef rib.

- A pig bone.

- A beef bone.

- A piece of bacon or ham rind.

- 350g minced pork.

- 350 gr of minced beef.

- 4 potatoes.

- 2 leaves of cabbage.

- 2 leaves of celery.

- 1 leek.

- 2 carrots.

- 200 gr of chickpeas.

- 2 eggs.

- 2 slices of toast.

- 100 ml of milk.

- Black pepper.

- A little flour.

- A package of noodles.

Preparation:

- Put in a pot with a total of 6 liters of water.

- Put in the pot all the aliments (vegetables, potatoes, etc.) except the ground beef and let it cook.

- In a bowl put the ground beef and pork, the two beaten eggs, toasted bread slices (soaked in milk), a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper and mix everything.

- When everything is well mixed, make balls and sprinkle flour on top.

- Toss the meat balls in the pot and cook for 40 minutes. Chickpeas cooked we will have separated into a separate bowl.

- Put the chickpeas into the pot and cook for the last 30 minutes.

- Serve hot as discussed above.

Muiñeira. Spanish dance.

It is a folk dance of northwestern Spain, specifically in the regions of Galicia, Castilla y León and Asturias, to sing and dance accompanied by bagpipes, tabor, tambourine and sometimes the shells. The first paper of this dance XVI century. Today is, above all, a dance instrumental. So called because it was danced outside while waiting mills grinding.

The "Auturuxo" is a cry that is used at parties to encourage the dancers. It is usually a loud cry, sharp and prolonged. The "Aturuxo" is the cry of defiance that executed the ancient Celts of Galicia prior to their battles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18kDios7eFA

Aisha bint Muhammad ibn al-Ahmar

Queen of the Muslim kingdom of Granada, named Aisha al-Hurra (the honest), known in Spanish tradition by the name Aixa, the Muslims also called Fatima "the honest". He lived in the fifteenth century and was the wife of King Abu al-Hasan 'Ali ibn Saad and mother of King Muhammad Abu Abd'Allah (known by the nickname of "the wretch"), who helped with the support of the tribe Banu Sarray, to accede to the throne of Granada. Flattering and palace intrigues of Queen ribal Zoraida (formerly known as Elizabeth, second wife of the King of Granada), was the soul of the resistance against the Catholic Monarchs and accompanied, in 1493 her son-in-exile to Fez (Morocco)where she died soon after.

Legend has it that, when they went into exile in the mountains of Granada, her son crying looked back to see the Kingdom of Granada for the last time and Aisha said, "cries like a woman you could not defend as a man ". Because of this, the mountain pass where they stood is called "Sigh of the Moor".

Tió

El Tio Christmas is a mythological Catalan and Aragonese and tells a Christmas tradition in Catalonia and Aragon. This tradition can also be found in Occitania under the name Yule log and Aragon Tronca the name of Christmas, all former territories of the Crown of Aragon.

On the day of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), it begins to feed every night the Tió (a log), and usually cover a blanket to get cold at night. It feeds until Christmas Eve, and then the tió, beaten with sticks by children, "pooped" gifts for them.

Formerly the Tió put the fire and let him defecate, but now no longer burns, but it only requires a result of repeatedly defecating stick hits him accompanied by a typical song.

The Tió never defecates large objects (these Magi give them away) but cucherías, wafers and nougats for children. According to the region dried figs and defecate when defecating stops (because nothing left) defecates one salted herring, a garlic, an onion or urine on the floor.

The Tió, in principle, there was nothing but a log burning in the home: fire. A trunk which, when burned, was so precious goods such as heat and light and symbolically offered to present the house: sweets, wafers, nougat .. We can still find, especially in the villages, houses in which the guy is a big log that gets to burn in the fire of earth a few days before Christmas.

The guy is a magical trunk one day closer to Christmas Eve, December 24, comes home knocking on the door. Who is in the house opens and must be looked after, cover it with a blanket to get cold and feed until 24 December evening, when he was "the Tió shits".

Traditionally gets the Tió in the kitchen or dining room near the fireplace, if available. Given to eat dry bread, carob, orange or tangerine peel and other fruits.

El Tio is "defecate" according to the custom of each house, Christmas Eve-Traditionally after-midnight mass or Christmas Day. Ask the Tió shit is a ceremony home or small community consisting of one or more singing traditional songs to finish, finally hitting the trunk tightly.

Songs in Catalonia:

"Tió, Tió, that nougat Shits so good. If you have more money defecates. If you do not have enough shit an egg. Shits Tio".

Songs in Aragon:

"Good trunk, good Baron. Good house, good grilled, may God keep peace in the house and everyone in it. Yule log, shit and piss nougat white wine. Salted herring are not shit. Shits nougats, they are good. "