04/13/2015
April 22 – April 23 the Sant Jordi, or St. George's Day (Spanish analogue of St.Valentine's) takes place in Spain. Don't miss the chance to give your Russian bride the roses.
This festival has been celebrated throughout Spain since the XV century, and its most bright celebration takes part in Catalonia including Barcelona and the Costa Dorada beach. April 23 the cities streets are ablaze with red roses: they are sold everywhere, they are bought by young people in love, and they are carried by the young ladies. One can give a bouquet of scarlet roses even to a stranger this day, and she won’t take it as harassment but as a wonderful holiday compliment. Therefore, Sant Jordi is also called the Day of Roses.
This tradition has a legend according to which St. George - the patron of the local land - joined the battle with the dragon, which threatened to ruin the gardens and pastures of Catalonia and even set out to eat the king's daughter. Sant Jordi, of course, won the dragon, freed the princess and a delightful red rose grew from the dragon's blood that was spilled to the ground and George, like a true knight, gave this flower to the rescued lady.
Since then, the feast of St. Jordi has been full of huge flower fairs with wholesale prices, and no girl was left without a rose. By the way, the bouquet is often added a bread spike symbolizing wealth, and this whole composition is tied with red and yellow ribbon - the color of the Catalan flag.
But, as the girls had to give something back, the Catalans invented another tradition – to give the books to men as a sign of love and devotion. Thus, the holiday has three names: St. George's Day, the Day of Rose, and the Book Day.
