José Belda Albero
When I was little, I remember that the Cemetery always inspired me, a strange fear and an immense respect. and often thought, when my walks and runs took me to its surroundings, in that immense solitude and in the mantle of silence that enveloped that sacred precinct.
It was past the years, when I understood that life is nothing more than a continuous walk towards death, and these fears were removed from me, even though, I never lost the great respect that the dead continue to inspire in me.
To this contributed, this solemn DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, which is the fourth day of the MOORS AND CHRISTIANS FESTIVITIES.
When this day dawns and the silence of the night has not yet been broken, wrapped in their cloaks or campaign blankets, groups of partygoers are seen appearing on all the streets of the town, that briskly, the slow, according to the cases, streets and alleys descend, in the direction of the lowest part of the town.
The meeting point will be EL MORER.
There and after having warmed up the body, with some pasta and drink, traditionally offered by the owners of the place, the happy sounds of the music bands will be heard for the first time on this day, first with the first rise of the future captains, and then for the flag dance.
And this will be the beginning of the acts that will fill this last day.
The most emotional and melancholic day of the Fiestas. solidarity day, of the feeling. The Day of Remembrance and Hope.
Then the comparsas, They will take the road uphill to the Cemetery, located in the highest part of Banyeres. They will go up shooting their arquebuses, and when they arrive at the hermitage of San Jorge they will fire their first salvo in honor of the Patron.
Around nine in the morning, The first troupe will arrive at the gates of the Sacred Enclosure, to be placed parallel to the entrance wall, to fire the three orderly salutes, that will resound in the thick silence, breaking this one for a few moments. from this moment, the noise of the harquebus will not stop until all the festeros, are in formation, in the lower part of the cemetery. Each of the comparsas and without interruption, will fire the salutes in the four cardinal points of the Cemetery, thus fulfilling the first part of the Tribute to all relatives and friends, or simply neighbors who rest there until ETERNITY.
Once all the comparsas occupy the lower part of the Cemetery, the solemn mass will be celebrated, in suffrage of the souls of all the deceased children of Banyeres.
The official Tribute will be over. and every party, in his personal memory of his deceased relatives or friends he will make his particular salute that will be as a way of telling the parents, brothers, or other family; "We are here and we continue to carry you in our memory and our hearts".
And that emotional force that flows everywhere, it is produced in every Banyeres family, because in all families there are loved ones, that they left forever, but that are still present in the hearts, in a special way on this day of remembrance, who comes to crown the Holidays.
And when most of the Festeros will be having lunch on the slopes of Santo Cristo, there will be some stragglers, that because of how recent the disappearance of the loved one has been, they continue with the unhealed wound, with the pain alive, and the disappearance without the slightest consolation.
And searching among these stragglers, those who find it difficult to leave the venue may be distinguished by the relatives of the festeros who have died in recent months or years, and whose photos and hallmarks can be seen in the latest magazines-party programs.
among said stragglers, maybe we will find, to the relatives of the Captain of the Students of 1994, for two reasons remembered, apart from the love of yours, for the shock caused by her death a few days before her proclamation as Captain.
another painful case, also due to the circumstances of his disappearance last November, It is the death of the younger sister of the Captain of the NEW MOORS of the current year.
Belonging to one of the festive families of roots and conviction, and with a festive history for the father of more than fifty years at the service of the Fiestas and the Filà de MOROS NOUS.
Following the chronology of the acts, and after lunch in the surroundings of Santo Cristo, about noon, will be the imposition of Bands, Raise of the Captains and signature in the Golden Book.
Again the emotion will squeeze the chests of the families and friends of the new captains, and the most sensitive will let a few tears escape but this time it will be of joy, because on this day you quickly go from pain and sadness to joy.
After the rise of captains in the narrow square of the Hermitage, the comparsas will begin the long journey to the Plaza, after making a stop at the Hermitage of Santa María Magdalena, to attend the DISPOSAL or Conversion to Christianity of Ambassador Moro.
In the square, in front of the church, the flags will be danced again and the FESTIVITIES will end.
With the Magic of Imagination and Memory I am sure that if before leaving the Cemetery, you look very carefully at the white plumes of smoke from the arquebuses and muskets, you will see some dim lights that move quickly. look well, for it is not about daytime will-o'-the-wisps. They are the souls of the silent inhabitants of the Campo Santo, that answering your calls, they have returned on this great day, to thank you, for your immense love and your deep memory, for your heartfelt tribute and your great generosity.
Generosity, Tribute and Remembrance, that the families of Moors and Christians offer you every 25 of April, so that you can pass it on with affection and love to all those who left you forever, but that you carry forever in your hearts.
