San Prudencio's Festival

San Fermin

Armentia village's open fields and basilica
name San Prudencio
Also called San Prudentzioko jaiak(euskara),fiestas patronales
Main location Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain and Armentia, Álava
Begins 27 April
Ends 28 April

The festival of San Prudencio in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Álava, Spain), is held on the day of the patron saint, 28 April. The popular festivity has become one of the most memorable days in the capital city, Vitoria-Gasteiz. Due to its popularity, the city organizes several activities and actuations. Even though the patronal day the 28 is, it is nowadays celebrate since the 27. Everything starts with the Retreta, what we could consider as a proclamation of the festivity. This event takes place in Plaza de la Diputación, where a huge stage is prepared for the troupe and the traditional basque dance groups.

History

Saint Prudencio

Saint Prudencio is the name of patron saint of Álava, who is also well known as the anchorite and priest who finally became the bishop of Tarazona. This significant religious man was named the patron saint of Álava near the 17th century, even though his born and death have no specific time in history, the most believable sources define the following dates and places: born in Armentia, Álava and died in El Burgo de Osma, Soria, 28 April of no certain year. The fact that he is considered a saint has neither a totally truthful document, which contains that information. Because that there is no written paper, he has been said to have been just a poet. In spite of his unknown precedence, he has at least one active shrine and festivities.

Biography

The religious man was born and brought up in Armentia, a small village which is nowadays inside the township of the capital of Álava. When he was 15, he moved as an anchorite to the closenesses of the actual city of Soria having Saturio as his teacher. He had stayed there for at least seven years, when he removed to Calahorra, where he entered a great diocese and met many idolaters. While he was staying in Calahorra, he is believed to have done some miraculous recoveries and even he evangelized many people. As a consequence of his achievements, he was well known in the small city and many patients went to his house. Because of that he decided to move to Tarazona, in order to continue with a more relaxed lifestyle.

The stay in Tarazona was not as easy as he had previously expected. He needed a long time to reach the position with which is finally known. He began in Tarazona’s cathedral as a priest whose main charge was the maintenance of the temple becoming archdeacon. Since the death of the bishop of Tarazona happened while he was there, he was selected to take charge of the position. But he did not have an easy beginning, due to the misunderstandings between the bishopric and the clergy. Because of that he moved to Burgo de Osma to work as an intermediary. Unfortunately, during his stay in Burgo de Osma he suffered a mortal illness.

Since he died out of his diocese and been considerate illustrious, the place where he had to be buried was a great discussion between the clergy. The legend says that he finally was put on his mount and left it go to define the place he would finally be buried. Finally, he was buried six leagues from Logroño, which nowadays are named as the monte Laurce. In this place they built a church called San Vicente Mártir, whose name changed in 1025 to monasterio de San Prudencio de Monte Laurce. The fact that he was considered a perfect Saint, made another discussion between the clergy because his relics were clamoured in many places. However the fact that there had been found false documents, make this discussion very difficult to know his endings.

Sanctification and cult

According to the believable documents of the 24 of April of 759, he was named a Sant near the 8th century in the monasterio de San Millán de la Cogolla.

Even though he was considered a Sant earlier, it was not until the 18th of November of 1643 that the powers of the church met in Álava to discuss about the consideration of taking Sant Prudencio as the patron sant of the province. As a result of that, there are nowadays some temples under his dedication such as the Monasterio de San Prudencio de Monte Laturce and the Basilica of San Prudencio de Armentia.

Basilica of San Prudencio de Armentia

The temple, which is of catholic cult, is situated in the suburbs of the capital city of the Basque Country, to be more exact in the south suburbs of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Built in the 12th century and deeply remodeled in the 18th century, is one of the most important basque romanic example. Even though it is famous because of his artistic and monumental value, it is also well-known due to his historic value. Nowadays it is under the dedication of sant Prudencio, born in Armentia, priest of Tarazona and patron sant of Álava.

Historic and geographic description

The temple was built in the last decades of the 12th century, possibly coinciding with the foundation of the city, which was more or less the year 1181. It is also believed to have been another religious edification before the one we can find in Armentia, which could possibly be of the 8th century. During the High Middle Ages, Armentia was considered an important poblation due to his position inside the camino de Santiago and the Roman road called Astorga-Burdeos. All those facts and the recognition of Armentia as the birthplace of Prudencio made Armentia one of the most spiritual places in Álava.

Between 1087 and 1498 the temple suffered many changes. First of all, the fact that the last bishop of Armentia, Fortún II, died without other priest to take his place, left the temple in charge of the diocese of la Rioja. Due to that change of diocese, the temple became a collegiate church. Finally in 1498, the collegiate moved to Santa Maria’s Church, nowadays known as the Old Cathedral, been under the church of its diocese.

The temple was deeply reformed between 1773 and 1776, what unfortunately made the loss of the architectural signs of the 12th century. Mainly because the church had a new façade and walls. Up to 1979, the temple was under the dedication of San Andrés, but it changed to dedicate san Prudencio.

As a consequence of its value for the population and history, it was declared Monumento Histórico-Artístico of national interest the 4th of June 1931. As a result of its importance in the national area, some excavations were done in the close field of the church, which finally ended up with the discovery of a great graveyard.

28 of April

Álava celebrates the day of the sant Patron the 28th of April. The popular festivity has become one of the most memorable days in the capital city, Vitoria-Gasteiz. Due to its popularity, the city organizes several activities and actuations. Even though the patronal day the 28 is, it is nowadays celebrate since the 27. Everything starts with the Retreta, what we could consider as a proclamation of the festivity. This popular actuation takes place every night of the 27th of April in La Plaza de la Diputación where also takes place the Danborrada at the same time that the Retreta lasts. The Retreta consists in having four proclamations every quarter with trumpets and drums. Whereas the Danborrada consists in having several actuations of Basque dance groups and Gastronomic societies, all of which take place with their musicians and majorettes.

The following day, the 28th of April is also popularly called the wetting day due to the high probability there is to rain during the day. Everything continues with the remarkable cultural Aurresku at the Armentia's town council. Once this events takes place, traders and craftsmen build up their stand giving the beginning to a long working day. Since it is a remarkable day in Álava, many people drives to Vitoria in order to assist to the religious events or even just to enjoy the atmosphere.

The first Tamborrada or Danborrada

After looking for a while the newspaper's periodical library, the year 1975 is considered to be the first Tamborrada done in Vitoria-Gasteiz under the festivity of Sant Prudencio. Even though this year is the first one in which took place such an actuation nowadays named as Danborrada, Vitoria prepared several activities at least since the year 1964. According to the publications during those years Vitoria-Gasteiz had something similar to a Retreta, Zortziko, popular religious pilgrimage, Basque dance groups Txirimbil and Oldarki, dance and culinary competitions, concerts...

That day of the year 1975 Vitoria's Gastronomic societies had a huge paper in the parade that took place that night through the streets of the city center. Not only had the societies done this memorable starting, the good acceptation that the citizens had, has made this night an important festival. As it can be seen in some of the pictures of that year, the people who take part in that parade wore cloths similar to the ones we still find in Donostia's Danborrada.

The letter of the popular song

Spanish:

Suena el tun, tun y con él la trompeta,
Es la retreta de nuestro patrón. (Bis).
Los alaveses, en este día, con alegría y con buena unión.
Celebran fiestas a San Prudencio, a San Prudencio su patrón.
Suena el tun, tun y con el la trompeta,
Es la retreta de nuestro patrón. (Bis)

Basque:

Tuntunarekin turuten doinua
gure zaindariaren eguna (berriz)
Arabatarrok egun honetan,
elkartzen gara alaitasunez,
ospatutzeko Prudentzio jaia,
gure patroi handia.

San Prudencio's Zortzikoa:

Buenas tortillas de perretxikos
Con huevos frescos y buen jamón
Que son los útiles más convenientes
Para este día de animación
Arriba todos los alaveses
De alma sencilla y buen corazón
Celebren fiestas a San Prudencio
A San Prudencio que es su patrón

Gallery

References

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