The Moors and Christians festival is Ontinyent's most traditional, symbolic and crowded celebration. It is held in honour of the Santíssim Crist de l'Agonia and has been declared of International Tourist Interest.
A little history
In Baroque times Ontinyent already had a Moors and Christians display linked to the Puríssima festival, but it died out. Today's festival began in 1860, when members of the Liberal Casino, with the town council's support, borrowed the model of the towns of the Serra de Mariola to create a popular summer festival, between harvest and grape-picking.
Each side is made up of comparsas (or filaes, festival groups). The first group on each side holds the Captaincy and the seventh provides the Ambassador and Standard-bearer. The roles rotate every year: the first group becomes the last the following year.
The 24 comparsas
The festival is made up of 24 comparsas (festival companies), twelve on each side, grouped in the Societat de Festers del Santíssim Crist de l'Agonia:
- Christian side: Gusmans, Arquers, Cruzados, Contrabandistas, Fontanos, Almogàvers, Asturs, Llauradors, Cides, Marineros, Bucaneros and Estudiants.
- Moorish side: Chanos, Omeyas, Benimerins, Abencerrajes, Kábilas, Moros Espanyols, Saudites d'Ontinyent, Mudéjares, Mossàrabs, Taifas, Moros Berberiscos and Moros Marinos.
More about each comparsa and this year's festival officers on the official website of the Societat de Festers.
The Mig Any Fester
In February, six months before the festival, the Mig Any Fester marks the halfway point of the festival cycle, with the Desfilada del Mig Any parade and other events by the comparsas. It usually coincides with Ontinyent Medieval. You'll find it in the annual calendar.
The Big Week
The festival is held on the weekend of the fourth Sunday of August:
- The Sunday before: the Esmorzar de la Llàgrima breakfast and the opening proclamation.
- Thursday: the Entrada de Bandes, a parade of brass bands that ends with all of them playing together the Moorish march Chimo by José María Ferrero, the anthem of the festival and the town. At night, the Alardos, a fancy-dress parade.
- Friday: the Children's Parade in the morning and, in the afternoon, the grand Christian and Moorish Entrades.
- Saturday: early-morning music, the Contrabando (led by the Sailors' and Smugglers' groups) and, in the afternoon, the Baixada del Crist, the most moving moment for the festival members.
- Sunday: gala morning march, High Mass, a tribute to the elderly at the Beneficence Hospital and the procession.
- Monday: harquebus volleys and the Embassies in front of the wooden castle in the Plaça Major, with verses written for Ontinyent by Joaquín José Cervino in 1860.
Check each year's programme in the Events section.
