Authors from all over make their way to barcelona, some every year, to take part in the signings and promotions of their newest works. A few years ago i was visiting barcelona in april and discovered this celebration just by chance. Sant jordi festival in barcelona 2020 catalunyas valentines day. Traditionally, men give a rose to women, while women give them a book in exchange as a representation of love and literature. Today, sant jordi is a day of love and literature, comparable to valentines day. Books and roses fill catalonia for sant jordi, a unique. Sant jordi the day of the book and the rose all andorra.
Whilst the dragonslaying legend is remembered what makes the day in catalonia so special is that it is when lovers exchange books and roses. So, if you happen to have a girlfriend, a mum or a sister who you want to get a sant jordi present, books are a fantastic choice. It is tradition for men to give their ladies red roses on this day while a new trend has seen women give books to the. Later, the tradition changed and lovers became the protagonists of this custom.
Traditionally, since the 15th century, the sant jordi day is also the catalan equivalent of st valentines day. It also offers a great opportunity to visit barcelona, where you can stay, for example, at aspasios apartments. Among roses, many piles of books are for sale in catalan streets 1. Retailers expect to sell six million roses, and over 1. Georges day, also known as sant jordi, takes place on 23 april and celebrates the patron saint of catalonia. Catalans have come together on the feast of sant jordi for centuries. Almost a century ago, businesssavvy publishers turned it into a bookselling event. Sant jordis day, april 23rd, is a very important date in catalonia. Five ways to celebrate sant jordi at home oxford house. The basic idea for sant jordi is that men give women roses and women give men books. For catalans, a day of books, roses and, of course. Jordi is catalunyas version of valentines day and is a one day festival of romance, roses and books all inspired by the legend of saint george on 23rd april every year. Barcelonas day of love and roses sant jordis day the spain.
In catalonia the world book day becomes an especially romantic festivity. Guest speakers from different countries and backgrounds will bring to shanghai their view on the books and creative scene. Its clear sant jordi is not just about buying books. Around the city in the days leading up to april 23 writers. Sant jordi is catalonias very literary answer to valentines day, wherein couples gaze longingly into each others eyes and exchange roses and books, but here i am, my motherinlaw rosas arm tucked into mine, trying to navigate the crowds without losing track of her or my husband, jesus, a halfpace behind us.
Roses and books in saint jordi have become a beautiful tradition dating back to the 15th century, when, on this same date, women use to attended a mass officiated in the chapel of sanit jordi, in the palace of the generalitat of catalonia, where they received a rose. Every 23rd april the traditional red roses and all kinds of books invade the streets creating a unique atmosphere. It is a day when readers take the opportunity to buy new books and talk with writers, who come to the bookstalls to sign books and recite fragments of their works. The feast of sant jordi or saint george, as we know him in english, falls on 23rd. The main event is the exchange of roses and books between sweethearts, loved ones and colleagues. On the day of sant jordi in barcelona as in all of catalonia people give one another a rose or a book. Monday 23rd april around andorra see below for more info about the festival encamp. In the 15th century sant jordi st george became the patron saint of catalonia, and rose markets started to appear all over the region every year. You can find books of all types and languages, roses of all colours, and much more.
Undoubtedly, the feast of sant jordi this year will be a little different. On april 23rd, the streets of the cities and towns are crowded with people and stalls selling books and roses. Sant jordi in barcelona is one of the most beautiful days to visit the city. For sant jordi, its a tradition to give each other books and roses, symbols of culture and love. Indeed, a recent trend has been an explosion in book signings. Day of the book and the rose documents show that the tradition of giving away roses as a symbol of love on the day of sant jordi, dates back to the 15th century, even though the exact date is not known. And it can be anybody, not necessarily your partner or somebody who. The streets of all of the cities and all of the towns in catalonia are full of flower and. Our first sant jordi day in barcelona video gimme some. In years past, throngs of visitors traveled to barcelona and its surrounding region of catalunya catalonia to experience sant jordis festival, a combined celebration of love and literature. Sant jordi is the catalan name of saint george, who is the patron saint of catalonia and also of neighbouring autonomous community of aragon. On the scoop we just love sant jordis day, the catalan equivalent to valentines day. All about sant jordi in barcelona, a party dedicated to. Why st georges day is marked in catalonia with roses and books.
Travel virtually to spains catalunya region for sant. This year, to mark the opening speech that will be given by the mozambican writer, mia couto, barcelonas libraries have prepared a selection of books from african. Las ramblas of barcelona have never been so crowded. Sant jordi is one of the most emblematic festivals in catalonia, a celebration that unites love and tradition with culture. Sant jordi is when writers, books and reader take to the streets. In catalonia the world book day becomes an especially. The feast day of sant jordi st george, patron saint of catalonia, is celebrated in barcelona on 23 april. Sadly, 60% of the roses that are sold on sant jordi day are imported from other countries.
Stalls along las ramblas provide roses and books on sant jordi day. Saint jordis day celebrating love and romance, the. In fact, it is a celebration of culture and love, represented by books and roses. April 23 books and roses saint george day livingit.
The whole city, and especially les rambles overflows with stalls selling books and roses in a springtime, festival atmosphere. Sant jordi in barcelona is a catalan traditional day represented by books and roses, a romantic festivity in the city for locals and tourists. A special day in which books parades are settled in the streets and roses are given to your beloveds. Sant jordi festival barcelona catalonia 2020 saint. The celebrations have been postponed for now, and due to the lockdown, there wont be any roses or books for sale on the streets. Sant jordi, the day of the patron saint of catalonia is celebrated as. Across the region, its celebrated as a day of love and literature, and for one magical day on april 23, the streets of barcelona are filled with book sellers and flower stands selling roses.
It is a very similar celebration to valentines day. It is very difficult to set a date to establish the beginning of the popular catalan tradition consisting of offering roses on. A day of celebration where roses and books become the main characters. The central elements of this celebration are culture and love, in addition to the dragons who are represented on this day with traditional gifts. The festivity of saint george is a day that is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and joy in catalonia. Sant jordi is the catalan name of saint george, who is the patron saint of catalonia. Some books are even published with the day of sant jordi in mind.
On the 23rd of april, the streets of barcelona fill up with stands where you can buy books and roses to give them to the people you love. The key elements of this day, dedicated to the patron saint, are culture and love, represented by the book and the rose. Its on sant jordi that people discover an author, fall in love with a book and become enthralled with a story. St jordis day is barcelonas most romantic day of the year. On sant jordis day it is normal to find books in every language that talk about. Catalan booksellers make between 58 percent of their annual sales on the day of sant jordi which is also st georges day in britain according to the catalan booksellers association. An online international book festival for readers sheltering in place. Sant jordi 2020 barcelona website barcelona city council. The main event is the exchange of roses and books between sweethearts, loved. We told you about sant jordi tradition in this blog last year. The people in catalonia celebrate the day of their patron saint, sant jordi, with a curious tradition. April 23 is an especially romantic day in catalonia.
This tradition marked by books, stories and romanticism focuses on the patron saint of catalonia since the 15th century, sant jordi. The streets are filled with vendors selling roses, and bookstores throughout the city set up sidewalk stands. Sant jordis day in barcelona is celebrated on april 23, and the legend about sant jordi, the dragon and the princess is reborn from its ashes every year to invade barcelona. Jordi, or san jorge, has been the copatron saint of catalonia province of spain for over 500 years since 1507. They are a symbol of love and, traditionally, men give a rose to their loved one. On sant jordis day, catalans exchange books and roses in the name of love. Sant jordi, or saint georges day is much more than a simple feast day in barcelona. Sant jordi s day, april 23rd, is a very important date in catalonia. Books and roses fill catalonia for sant jordi, a unique day that inspires admiration all over the world. The two most important symbols of this date are books and roses. Each year, the streets are filled with people strolling around grasping books and roses wrapped in. On april 23, barcelonas streets fill with the scent of roses and freshly printed books to celebrate st george.
Although not an official public holiday, the day is marked with much pomp and flair as people of all ages exchange red roses and books. Sant jordi or saint george is catalonias patron saint. Beyond the centre, the squares and streets of the different barcelona neighbourhoods are also filled with the characteristic sant jordi roses selling points and bookstalls. Celebrated every april 23rd, it is a day for lovers, books, and red roses. A national catalan holiday, sant jordis day is barcelonas most romantic day of the year. For sant jordi, catalans go out to the streets and celebrate both the world book day and sant jordi. This year, after months of secessionist turmoil, political division was perhaps inevitable. Why st georges day is marked in catalonia with roses and. Traditionally, boys give girls a red rose and girls give boys a book. Sant jordi 23rd april, with its books and roses and many things to do in barcelona. Books, roses and more things to do in barcelona in sant.
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