Tomorrow, August 15th, Catholic Spain celebrates the Festividad de la Mare de Déu d’Agost, a national holiday commemorating the ascension and assumption of the Virgin Mary. In Mallorca, the Virgen Dormida will be on display in churches in Alaró, Algaïda, s’Arracó, Artà, Binissalem, Calvià, Campanet, Campos, Capdepera, Costitx, Felanitx, Fornalutx, Inca, Lloret de Vistalegre, Llubí, Manacor, Maria de la Salut, Montuïri, Muro, Petra, Pina, Sa Pobla, Porreres, Puigpunyent, Sant Joan, Santa Maria del Cami, Santanyí, Selva, Sencelles, Sineu, Sóller, Son Servera, Valldemossa and Palma, with twelve churches participating in the island capital, including the Cathedral. You don’t have to be particularly religiously minded to enjoy the festively decorated and sometimes pompously laid out Sleeping Virgin sculptures, often of Mediaeval origins. Most presentations will be on display in participating churches until the end of this month.
The photo (top) was taken in Santanyí, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: August 4th, 2012. The time was 11:48:51. The photo (bottom) was borrowed from the Internet, courtesy of arcapatrimoni.blogspot.com.es.
Moltes gràcies.
Among traditional festivities I relish the most those that mark the transition between seasons. If Sant Joan welcomes the summer at its peak, the Mare de Déu d’Agost marks a deep pychological divide. From now on, everything will go downwards: the days will be shorter, the heat more sufferable, the light more gentle… I almost can hear the last days of summer going down the drain. This is terrible!!