Breakfast at the Llàgrima

After finishing the mass for the dead we moved to the Main Hall of the Festival Society, commonly called Casino, there the tables are arranged and conveniently identified. With sufficient advance notice the capacity has been distributed proportionally to the number of members of each group; because the capacity of the premises, despite being large, does not even come close to satisfying the demand that exists on the part of the festival-goers.

After sharing a piece of bread and typical foods of the area, the words of the president of the Festival Society arrive who, one by one, tells us about the festival-goers who died during this year. The throat becomes a lump, the eyes become moist. A strong ovation from all the attendees serves as a link between the pain of memory and the joy of the present. It is time for the imposition of badges and accreditation medals. The secretary of the Society names, one by one, Captains, Ambassadors, Standard-bearers and First Trons and, publicly, before the The general joy and accompanied by the chords played by the band, the mayor and president hand out the corresponding accreditations.

Finally, the time for the awards arrives; the recognition of the Festeros Society for the work and the festive life of a particular person; recognition that is usually secret, so the effect on the person being honoured and his closest environment is much greater. The reason for its name lies in the fact that we quickly go from tears of pain for the absent friend, to tears of emotion for the friend who this year holds a position or has been worthy of public recognition for a life dedicated to the Festival.

Significance: It is a unique act in the Moors and Christians festivals of any part of the world, in which, as we have described above, we go from sadness to joy in a matter of seconds, given that the sadness for the loss of the deceased is shared, but also the joy for the positions of this year, who are officially named with the imposition of insignia to captains, standard-bearers and ambassadors. Distinctions will also be given to the festival-goers who deserve public recognition through the First Tro d'Honor or the silver insignia.

This authentic and endearing event has been celebrated since 1956 and due to its originality, the procession has been initiated to be declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) at the request of the Societat de Festers.