La Mercè

 What is La Mercè?La Mercé is a celebration of Barcelona’s patron saint, Our Lady of Mercy that takes place each September for about five days. The celebration combines a variety of Catalan traditions, including much dancing and the famous colles castelleres – human tower groups, some reaching to 10 people high!The festival also includes two major parades, The Giants, where super-sized papier-maché figures – usually notable city residents, historical and biblical figures are marched through the city. The second is ‘the procession of beasts’ where dragons and devils roam the streets the night before the correfoc, or fire-run when these same characters run through the streets setting off fireworks and sparklers.Need to KnowThis is Barcelona’s largest annual event, and it is estimated that roughly 2 million people attend over 500 events throughout the city. The correfoc is a uniquely Catalonian event, and a site to behold but if you are planning on attending it is essential to wear protective clothing as there are a lot of fireworks and pyrotechnics in the streets.Did You Know?This festival came about in the Middle Ages when in 1687 Barcelona was afflicted by a plague of locusts. The city government asked for assistance from Our Lady of Mercy or in Catalan, Mare de Déu de la Mercé. The city was relieved of the pestilence and she was named patroness of the city, although not officially recognized by the pope until 1868. It has been an official holiday – only in the Barcelona city limits - since 1871.