Catalan festivity celebrated on the 23rd of April, of great importance to the Catalan people yet not an official holiday in Catalonia.
In ancient times aristocrats would celebrate jousting tournaments, the lower class population was excluded, at these events ladies were presented with flowers and roses.
Centuries later, the custom of presenting ones loved one with a rose has become a typical festivity celebrated throughout Catalonia.
The same date coincides with the day of “the book”, in commemoration of Miguel de Cervantes. From then women present men with a book in token of their love.
So this festivity as well as being a day for sweethearts to exchange gifts, it’s also motive for celebration, “Sardana” Catalan dancing, “Castells” human towers and book presentations. The streets fill with stalls selling books and roses.
Who was the Knight Sant Jordi?
The legend says that a terrible and ferocious monster was in the surrounding area of “Montblanc”, that ate the animals and people that crossed its path. The locals of the region decided to offer the monster one person per day to stop more destruction.
One day luck decided that the kings daughter was to be sacrificed to the monster. Some citizens offered to substitute her, but the king himself said that the life of his daughter was as worthy as that of any other citizen. The maiden left the city alone and frightened, and walked towards the monsters lair.
When she had been walking for some time a young knight appeared riding a white horse; the knight told the princess not to be frightened, that no harm would come to her, that he had come to fight the monster, kill it and to liberate the princess of her sacrifice and the city of Montblanc.
Whilst they where talking the beast appeared and the knight badly injured it with a single blow. He tied up the beast by it’s neck and handed it to the princess so that she herself could take it to the town where it was killed off by the citizens.
In reward, the king offered the knight his daughter’s hand in marriage, he declined claiming that he was not worthy of her, and then he disappeared as mysteriously as he had appeared.
