Program of Moors and Christians in Bocairent

The colourful and majestic festivities with a great tradition continue to decorate the streets of this small town in the interior of the province of Valencia. More than 2,000 festeros and festerteras actively participate in the big days of the festivities, along with the rest of the citizens who are, without doubt, also a fundamental part of the Moors and Christians.

More information:

Festivities in Sant Blai - Bocairent - Program 2023

Friday, February 3

The Boxes

• At noon, with a general ringing of bells, the start of the festivities will be announced.
• At 7:30 p.m., at the touch of the Angelus, from the door of the Consistorial House and after praying the prayers, a gunshot will be fired. Then, the sergeants of each row and their boxes will begin the Retreta de les Caixes, which commemorates the Proclamation of Sant Blai as the patron saint of Bocairent, and will walk the streets as usual. On reaching the Pont de Sant Blai, a large Castle of fireworks will be set off. Then, the event will resume passing through the square of Sant Blai and going through the old quarter until finishing at the door of the City Hall.
• At 11:00 p.m. from the Residence to the Town Hall square, the traditional parade of the Night of Boxes will take place, started by the line of Musketeers.

Saturday February 4

The Entrance

• At 11:30 a.m. all the bands participating in the festivities will meet in the Town Hall square. First, the National Anthem will be played to raise the official bands. Then, the Vila de Bocairent Musical Society will perform the Anthem in Bocairent, under the direction of Mrs. Gemma Santonja and Insa. Then, the parade of bands through the usual streets will begin. When you reach the junction of the streets José Puig-Sant Joan de Ribera, a large mascletà will be fired.
• At 4:30 p.m., from Carrer València and at the height of the Church of the Holy Cross, the Entrance of Moors and Christians will begin and end at the Town Hall Square. Afterwards, the traditional Troop Review of the captains of both sides will be held. Afterwards, the first Vespers of the Saint will take place. Next, the captaincies will perform the Offering in Sant Blai.

Sunday February 5

Sant Blai

• At 8:00 a.m., the big Diana will start from the City Hall gate, which will go along Carrer Sant Agustí and follow the usual route. It will end in the same place as the beginning.
• At 11:30 a.m. the filaes will gather in front of the Town Hall with their bands, presided over by the captains and authorities, who will attend the Solemn Mass of Sant Blai in the parish church. It will be presided over and preached by His Excellency Mr. José Francisco Castelló Colomer, Chancellor Secretary of the Archbishopric of Valencia. The Bocairent Choral Group under the direction of Damián Molina and Beneyto, will accompany the ceremony. At the end of the mass, the authorities will be greeted at the Consistorial House.
• At 4:30 p.m., the parade of the Piquete de la Filà Terç de Suavos will begin.
• At 5:30 p.m., the Ball del Moro will start from the Moros Vells masset, passing by the captain's house to the Town Hall square.
• At 6:30 p.m., all the rows with their bands, the respective captaincies and authorities will gather in the Town Hall square to go to the parish church from where the Solemn Procession will leave. It will be responsible for bringing the Relic to the Filà de Musketeers. Upon arriving at the Town Hall Square, the procession will stop and await the arrival of the Script, Relic and Image of the Saint, which will be hailed by the congregants. Fireworks will be set off and then the Procession will resume to the parish church, where the hymn to Sant Blai will be played.

Monday, February 6

Moors and Christians

• From 08:00 a.m., the rows will leave from the respective masets forming a squad in the direction of the different churches and hermitages of the town to attend mass as detailed below:

- Espanyoletos: Altar Major Parish (next to the Old Moors ). Grenadiers: Church of the Holy Cross.

- Smugglers: Ermita Mare de Déu d'Agost. Terç de Suavos: Hermitage of Sant Joan.

- Students: Hermitage Our Lady of the Desperate. Moros Vells: Altar Major Parish.

- Morocco: Parish Chapel of Sant Blai.

- Moros Marins: Parish Chapel of the Communion.

- Musketeers: Monastery of the Virgin of Sorrows and the Magi.

• At 11:30 a.m. the battle between the Christian and Moorish sides will take place. It will start from the intersection Carrer Batalla de Lepanto - Avinguda Sant Joan de Ribera. It will continue through Batalla de Lepanto to the Town Hall Square. Next, the Moorish Embassy will take place. The parliament will end with a sword fight in which the Moorish army will be victorious, and will raise its flags victoriously in the castle.
• At 5:00 p.m. the battle will resume from the Residence and the Moorish army will take refuge in the castle. Next, the Christian Embassy will take place. Then, there will be the fight in which the Moorish army will be defeated and escaped from the fortress. During the Embassy, the Filà de Marrocs will pray for the dead at the door of the parish church and will go down to the Town Hall square in a zigzag pattern. When the Embassy ends, all the rows will leave without established order, except for the Moroccan row which will leave last, making its traditional procession to the maset.
• It will start at 11:30 p.m the parade retreat from the Residence to the Town Hall square.

Tuesday, February 7

Saint Christ

• From 07:00 h, target, which will end in the Town Hall square.
• From 10:00 a.m., the rows will meet with their captains in the Town Hall square. From there, they will head to the hermitage of Sant Crist to celebrate the traditional mass in thanksgiving, which will take place at 11:30 a.m. It is up to the Filà de Musketeers to receive honors. When it ends, the emotional "Despojo del moro" will be staged.
• From 12:30 p.m., the filaes and captaincies will go to the parish temple to kiss the Saint's Relic.
• At 5:30 p.m., the revelers will gather in the parish church and the Te Deum will be sung. Then, they will march to the Monastery of Our Lady of Sorrows and the Magi, where the bands will be imposed on the new captains and captains and ensigns of each row by Mr. Rector and Mr. President of the Association of Festivities. Then the rows with the new captains will perform the usual parade.

Tuesday February 8

The Eixabegó

• At 11:30 a.m., all the boards of the filaes, the board of directors of the Association, captains and captains and ensigns will meet at the social headquarters of the Festival Association. From there, they will go to the parish church in order to attend the Holy Mass at the expense of the deceased revelers. Afterwards, there will be a celebratory lunch for all the rows in the respective stalls.