2007 Aug 17 - Day 1 of 5 - Fiesta de San Ramón

The Fiesta de San Ramón Nonato (the Patron Saint of our village) is a 5 day celebration. The celebration is supposed to be the last 5 days of August, because San Ramón Nonato’s day is 31 August. Many people from various parts of Spain and France come to Torre del Compte during the month of August for vacation. Because the children have to register and start school on 1 September the village decided many years ago to split the 5-day celebration and celebrate 4 days beginning in the middle of the month and celebrate the 5^th day on 31 Aug – San Ramón Nonato’s day. This way the visitors in the village will have a chance to celebrate and enjoy four days of the festivities before heading back to their homes in Spain and France to register and send their children to school at the beginning of September.

Here is some information about San Ramón Nonato:

San Ramón Nonato
Also known as: Raymund Nonnatus and Raimundo Nonato

He was born in 1204 at Portella, a diocese of Urgel, Catalonia, Spain. He was of Spanish nobility and well educated. His father planned a career for Raymond in the royal court in Aragon. When Raymond felt drawn to religious life, his father ordered him to manage one of the family farms. However, Raymond spent his time with the shepherds and workers, studying and praying until his father gave up the idea of making his son a worldly success.

Raymond became a Mercedarian priest in Barcelona. He made such progress in the religious life that he was soon considered worthy to succeed his master in the office of ransomer. He was sent to Algiers and liberated many captives. When money failed he gave himself as a hostage. He made many converts, which embittered the Mohammedan authorities.

He was sentenced to death by impalement, but was spared because of his large ransom value. He was imprisoned and tortured. During his imprisonment, he still managed to convert some of his guards. To keep him from preaching the faith, his captors bored a hole through his lips with a hot iron and attached a padlock. Eventually he was ransomed, and returned to Barcelona in 1239.

He was made Cardinal in 1239 and died 31 August 1240 at Cardona (about six miles from Barcelona, Spain) of a fever. He was buried at the chapel of Saint Nicholas near his family farm he was supposed to manage.

"Nonato" means Not Born (= non-natus) as he was taken from the womb of his mother after her death.

He is the patron saint of childbirth; children; expectant mothers; falsely accused people; fever; infants; midwives; newborn babies; obstetricians; and pregnant women.

FIESTA PAYMENT
In America, there is a saying, “You don’t get something for nothing.” They may not say it here in Spain, but the saying still applies.

On the 12^th of August, each family had to go to the school and pay for each member of their family. This fee had to be paid by everyone that would be enjoying the fiesta -- whether you were a vacationer or permanent resident.

This year it was a flat fee of 28 Euros per person. This “admission” price helps pay for the bands that play each night for the people to dance and for the lunch on the last day of the fiesta.

PEÑA DUES
Then, there is a fee for each member of a Peña (club house, club or group of people). The fee for our Peña was the same as last year – 60 Euros per member. This money pays for everything you eat and drink at the Peña – a dinner each night, plus the beer, liquor, Cokes, Fanta, potato chips, olives, paper plates, plastic cups, ice, etc.

This year we had an additional expense. Half of the floor of old corral we use had started to collapse and had to be replaced. New cement beams replaced the old wooden beams, a floor was placed on the beams, then cemented over. This should last for quite a while. The old tile roof has started to leak. So, I guess that will be the next major renovation.

~ DAY 1 of 5 ~

DÉJÀ VU
It’s hard to believe that a year has passed and it’s time for the Fiesta de San Ramón again. I have to admit, this is not my favorite fiesta, simply because it is s-o-o-o-o long. The fiesta is 5 days long which is broken into two parts and in between those two parts is Cultural Week. This makes the fiesta two weeks long!

There are a couple of days that nothing is scheduled – but don’t worry, the peña will take care of that – they will schedule dinners for those days. So, you end up with two weeks of scheduled activities, eating, drinking, bands that play until 3:am or later, more scheduled activities, drinking, eating, more bands…..did I mention drinking?......and more eating.

(Don’t these people ever sleep?!?)

This year the first day of the Fiesta began on 17 August.

The first day starts with cooking sausages on a bonfire.

Several small bonfires are made.

The sausages were donated by the Caja Rural de Teruel Bank.

There is also free bread, olives and wine.

I believe the wine is homemade because it is in large containers with no labels. You bring your own container and they fill it up.

The village turns out in force. It’s a time for visiting, eating and drinking together. The sausages, olives and wine are handed out. There is plenty for everybody – nobody will leave hungry or thirsty.

When the fires are almost ready, the grills are placed on the fire to burn off any bits that may still be on the grill. (I guess this is a sterilization process!)

When the fire has died down and the coals are ready, the sausages are placed on the grills and the grills are placed over the coals. The delicious aroma of grilled sausages fills the air and you suddenly feel hungry whether you are or not.

??, ??, Rosario, Carlos, Chus, (all from Zaragoza) and Jordi

Annie & George (from France), Radu & Helena (from Romania)

All of the members of our Peña are wearing our orange T-shirts with the name of our Peña written across the back. Our Peña is called “Catacroks.”

"Catacrok" is the name of a drink made with vodka and tonic. You cover the top of the glass with the palm of your hand and slam the bottom of the glass on the table, causing the vodka and tonic to mix and fizz. You then drink it down in two swallows.

Our Peña is made up of people from Torre del Compte, neighboring villages, Alcañiz, Zaragoza, Barcelona, France, England, and me - an American. It is quite an international group!

Manolo & Lola

People eating, drinking and enjoying each other’s company.

Colin & Margaret, Jordi, Emilia, Carlos

When the people are almost finished eating, the “Gigantes Cabezudos” (Big Heads) arrive with little whips and chase the children. The children run screaming in all directions.

(I’m not sure of the purpose, but the children seem to enjoy it.)

When the eating has finished, the men with the horns and drum arrive. Now it’s time for the people to march through the village and visit each of the Peñas and have a Catacrok.

WARNING: There are MANY peñas in the village. Drinking a Catacrok at EACH peña is dangerous to your health. It will make you so drunk you will not remember anything the next day and a headache so big you wouldn’t believe it!!

As the crowd of people started their march through the village to visit each Peña, I quietly slipped away and headed home. I have made the trip through the village a couple of times before. Along the route, people in the houses throw buckets of water on you and some have a hose and spray the crowd with water. I didn’t feel like getting wet.

That’s all for now. But remember -- there are 4 more days of the Fiesta!

~•~ The End ~•~