Festivity of ‘la Mare de Déu de la Salut’ of Algemesí

The tradition & historical record

The Festivity of La Mare de Déu de la Salut is a festival celebrated in Algemesí (Valencia), Spain, from August 29 to September 8. The festival is in honour of the patron saint of Algemesí, La Mare de Déu de la Salut, and has been dated back to 1247. The holiday was awarded the UNESCO "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" designation on November 28, 2011. ¹

This celebration originated in medieval times (1247) and has been held in Algemesí on the 7 and 8 September to great popular acclaim since then. The traditional ritual acts of the event have been passed from generation to generation and are rich in: oral expression (theatre), music (63 compositions), dance and performances reminiscent of the Roman, Christian, Moorish and Jewish cultures which have woven the very fabric of this land and which are manifest in the creation of the musical instruments, melodies and costumes that are an integral part of this Festivity. The music of the traditional dolçaina and tabal, and the pieces for orchestra and timpani that provide musical accompaniment for the “Muixeranga” human towers and the dance performances of the “bastonets”, “pastoretes”, “carxofa”, “arquets”, “llauradores” and “tornejants”, recreate and stimulate a collective memory, transmitting universal messages of highly artistic visual and aural sentiments. ¹

Throughout the celebration, Algemesí becomes a living museum, testament to Valencian and Mediterranean traditions, interlaced with the faith, tradition and culture of the liturgical celebrations at the Basilica, the soundscapes created by the ringing of the bells and the 17th Century surroundings along the routes of the processions which over 1400 people take part in. ¹

The feast day of Our Lady of Health, patroness of Algemesi is September 8, and commemorates the legendary discovery in 1247 of a statue depicting the Madonna and Child. The image venerated in the town since the mid-twentieth century is a replica, because during the Civil War the original image of the Virgin of Health was destroyed, as was the chapel. The festival appears to have originated in a street party in the area of the Chapel of Finding and gradually spread to other neighborhoods. The main celebration in held on 7 and 8 September, is preceded by a novena at the Chapel of the Finding, which begins August 29 and ends on September 6. The festival has preserved traditional dances and music, and has served as a source for the recovery of dances that formally existed in other locations and have been able to be re-established. The involvement of the town's inhabitants is the foundation upon which the continuity of this celebration is based. Each ritual works and has been prepared independently since the 18th Century. For this unique feature, UNESCO has recognized the ritual, festive and community participation dimension of the Valencian celebration Our Lady of Health as part of the "intangible heritage of humanity".[1] La "Nit del Retorn" - on September 6 marks the beginning of the first big events of the Festival of the Mare de Deu de la Salut.