FESTIVALS OF MOLINA DE SEGURA
Molina de Segura is without doubt a town of happy people, as the various festive events that take place in the city throughout the year prove this joyful general state seems to be directly associated with the fervor of the locals for their two patrons: Our Lady of Consolation and St. Vincent. In this concern, the celebration of the Holy Week has been enriched in recent years, recovering its roots and the participation of past times.
Although Christmas and Easter time or the Carnival are important events in the festival calendar of Molina de Segura, it is in September that the entire city takes to the streets during the Festivities of Our Lady of Consolation, which includes, among other acts: the pilgrimage of the Virgin that is being taken back and forth from the town to its chapel, a large floating parade organized by the Federación de Carrocistas which is not to be missed and a varied series of cultural, sporting and festive events as: song and dance or canine contests, exhibitions, festivals, musical bands performances, etc. In different districts of the city, boroughs and neighborhoods also hold celebrations organized by their inhabitants through the agency of the Neighborhood Association, a total number of nearly 30 local “fiestas” with thousands of festive activities on Molina’s calendar.
The Molina Holy Week has grown increasingly strong since “the Brotherhood of Sorrows'' re- launched it in 1986. The full name of this association was actually “The Illustrious Brotherhood of the Holy Christ of Sorrows“, and it later on joined in this order the “Brotherhood of the Holy Burial”, the “Brotherhood of the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem” and “The Brotherhood of the Risen”.
At present, there have been often cases of talent descovery of successful music bands originated in this city especially between 2009 and 2012, their number rising to over 100. Some of them are: Vespertine, The Chased, Lucid, Voiceover 2.1 Sinplan, No Property and Funambulista (still active and achieving great progress in the music world).
As we can plainly see, culture is very present in Molina de Segura, which also counts with attraction of the "Carcel" (Jail) exhibition hall, a building constructed in the seventeenth century, which houses the Exhibition Hall, the Public Library and the Historical Archive since then.
The municipality of Molina de Segura organizes the well-known Setenil Prize which is annually awarded to the best short stories book published in Spain.
San Antón
Exceptuando las fiestas patronales, el día de San Antón es la única jornada festiva de todo el calendario molinense. Es tradicional la estancia ese día en el popular y cercano paraje de Las Salinas de Molina, donde se hace la comida y se mojan las naranjas de la temporada en las balsas de agua salada del lugar, como así indica la tradición si se quiere regresar al año siguiente. En las iglesias del término se lleva a cabo la bendición de los animales y una romería del santo.
San Vicente Mártir
In recent years the ancient veneration of St. Vincent Martyr, co - patron of the village, has been recovered with celebration being alternated with that of San Anton’s each other year. Devotion to St. Vincent Martyr is very remote having been a figure of worship from as early as 1325, according to documents from donations made to the altar. This habit of worshiping was probably inherited from the Valencians that once occupied the villa during the Christian reconquest, as there is no other trace, image or parish dedicated to this patron saint in the region.
On this day, the town dresses up as does the local police, who consider him as a patron. In the morning there is a mass and tribute act held in the Church of San Vicente Martir, and in the afternoon takes place the pilgrimage of the saint.
La Semana Santa
In the year 1600, there were three pious brotherhoods in the village: Benditas Ánimas (the Blessed Souls), el Rosario (the Rosary) and Santísimo Sacramento (Blessed Sacrament). In 1963 the Molina Holy Week stopped its processions though they have been fully recovered in recent years. Nowadays, there are four active brotherhoods and their processions: Viernes de Dolores, Domingo de Ramos, Jueves Santo, Viernes Santo y Domingo de Resurrección. They came to creat and restore sixteen steps with their respective standards, reaching the figure of one and a half thousand Nazarenes, and forming a Pasionarias canonry in 1997. Slowly reestablishing old traditions from as far back as 1986, the Molina Holy Week returns every year with enthusiasm, emotion and devotion, marking one of the most important city calendar dates.
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Dates: Easter - Holy Week
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La Mona
These days are dedicated to living in the countryside or in the Huerta land with groups of friends and family. The peculiarity provides a typical sweet bun, called “la mona”, a homemade product that can be alternatively served with a boiled egg.
| Dates: Monday and Tuesday after Easter Sunday |
The theatre festival
Originally held in the month of September after the festivities , this is one of the most famous cultural event. It consists of two weeks of theater, dance performances and music.
This festival is one of the oldest in Spain and it first started in 1970 under the name of “Cycle of New Theatre”. Founded by the Atem group and directed by José Antonio Arnaldos Salazar, it became international on its fifth edition. Originally of an itinerant character, it currently has an auditorium located in the Park of the Company and it will soon count on the premises of the exemplary Chorrico Avenue Theater. On its fourteenth edition in 1983 it becomes property of the Department of Culture of the City, having reached to this day its three decades of existence. The festival has been consolidating steadily to become at present one of the largest in the region.
| Dates: first two weeks of October |
The Patron Saint Fair
The Patron Saint festival of Molina de Segura is dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation, dating their veneration since the fourteenth or fifteenth century. It is the second municipality of Spain in having dedicated a cult to, one hundred and ten who have the Virgin as patron.
Floats Parade: It involves specific Huerta floats, parades, bands, Brazilian bands, etc. All this festive assembly covers the main roads of the city, distributing Huerta products, toys and treats and exceeding a number of thirty vehicles annually. Its high degree of popularity have made this event into the most anticipated and acclaimed of the festivities of the local calendar.
Procession of the Patron: This procession accompanies Our Lady of Consolation from the Chapel of Consolation to the Church of the Assumption at first and then backwards on the third Monday of September, which is a local fiesta, marking the last day of holidays. On arrival at the chapel and amid popular acclaim, the patron is dismissed with fireworks.
But these are not the only acts of the patroness’ festivity holidays; year after year numerous events are being added to it. Several noteworthy ones are: The National Folk Festival which began in 1982, the Cyclist Lady of Consolation Grand Prix founded in 1953 and the National Motocross Trophy of Rabbits which began in 1978. We can also emphasize various student music group and band acts and canine, panocho and zarzuela related shows. Various sports tournaments, children's competitions, musical concerts and masses are also part of these ceremonies.
| Dates: Third Monday of September |
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