Corpus Christi processions in Segura Mountains are a celebration of Spring, along with a religious parade

Corpus carpets in Elche and Bogarra

The precious and virtuous carpets made out of coloured sawdust in Elche de la Sierra are the highest form of Corpus festivals in Albacete’s mountains, but every streets in the villages of the surroundings, like those in Aýna, smell like marjoram, an aromatic herb that overlaps its blossom and finest aroma with the celebrations. They have gone further in Bogarra, where rose petals are mixed with marjoram, poplar leaves, rosemary and all the flowers from the mountain to upholster the old quarter with vegetal drawings that only last a few hours.

The tradition is very popular because it was born like a spontaneous contribution of some people from our villages to this celebration of Eucharist as the incarnation of  Christ’s body and blood. It was some young people who surprised all village by creating the fist sawdust carpets during a night of 1964, without nobody to notice it. They wanted to imitate those that are made in some Catalonia towns and take advantage of the tons of sawdust produced by  the sawmills of the village. Since then, neighbours got excited about this new attraction for the Corpus parade, increasingly improving this short-living art until they have achieved the declaration of National Tourist Interest in 2014. Here you have all the information about this celebration: http://alfombrasdeserrin.com/

 

In Bogarra, where streets have always being upholstered with marjoram for the Corpus procession, Quijano, a local artist, had the first idea to make artistic this tradition in the mid 70’s. He, along with the church and some women from the village brightened up a custom that makes the whole town smell like aromatic herbs that day. You hava more information at: http://sierradealbacete.com/fiestas/alfombras-de-flores-del-corpus-christi/

If you come to our mountains during the Corpus dates, don’t hesitate to get up early that Sunday -altough the tradition is for the procession to be celebrated on Thursday, carpets and festivals have been postponed to next Sunday-, and walk around one or another village to admire these pieces of popular art before the parade walk on them and destroy everything until next year.