La Festa de Sant Medir
Sweets and candy will rain down on the streets of Gràcia in honor of Sant Medir
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Gràcia Plaça Vilà de Gràcia, 08012 Barcelona
La Festa de Sant Medir, Gràcia’s annual sweet and candy festival, returns Monday, March 4th for its 2019 edition, with parades of carriages and horses showering the streets of the neighborhood with the traditional caramels.
In the year 303, a bishop fleeing from Roman persecution, Bisbe Sever, passed through Sant Cugat on his way to Barcelona. Following his visit, some beans planted by farmer Medir grew miraculously quickly. However, when the Romans passed through in pursuit of the bishop, Medir was martyred, and hence canonized.
In 1828, local baker and Sant Medir devotee Josep Vidal i Granés promised that if he recovered from his illness, he would go on a pilgrimage to Serra de Collserola to pay homage to the saint he adored. Two years later, he did just this. As he was a baker, this local legend morphed into a yearly celebration with the provision of goodies.
This year, 26 local community groups called colles will participate in the sweet parades, starting at 10:00 in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. The festivities will continue into the evening, with the big parade along Carrer Gran de Gràcia starting at 20:00 near Plaça de Lesseps.
More info here.
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