Fiestas del Pilar del 8 al 16 de octubre de 2011
Flowers Offering
he Flowers Offering, that takes place every 12 October (Pilar Day), is without any doubt the most popular event of the Fiestas del Pilar. From very early in the morning, hundreds of thousands of people from Aragon, from the rest of the Spanish regions and from the whole world, dressed in their regional costumes (the only requirement to participate), parade in front of the Pilar Virgin to put at Her feet millions of flowers, paying homage to the patron saint of Aragon and of the Hispanic community. During the whole day, it can be felt the happiness of the citizens who come to pay their small homage to the Virgin symbolised by a flower.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The historical background of the Offering goes back to the 1940s, when the jewellery room of the Virgin was decorated for public holidays. Carnations, roses and tuberoses perfumed the Saint Chapel. But, it is in 1958, being Mr. Luis Gómez Laguna the mayor of the city, when the councilor in charge of festivals, Mr. Manuel Rodeles, introduced in the programme a popular and participatory festival similar to that which took place in the Spanish East Coast.
FIRST STAGE
On Sunday 12 October 1958 took place the first Flowers Offering to the Pilar Virgin, with the participation of about 2,000 people during a two-hour parade. For this first Offering (a replica of the Virgin was placed in front of the main facade of the Basilica), the City Council bought in Tortosa several thousands of carnations. The Fiesta was already considered a "tradition" in 1964. The Offering appeared at the front page of special press editions. The number of flowers bought by the City in that year´s edition was 8,000 dozens of carnations; in the following year the numbers, 5,000 people (most of them women and children) and more than 12,000 dozens of bouquets, give an idea of this well-rooted event.
Because of the success of the Flowers Offering, the Fiestas del Pilar were declared in 1965 as "Fiestas of National Tourist Interest".
SECOND STAGE
With the democratic corporations, the Flowers Offering -the most important celebration of the Fiestas del Pilar- was reinterpreted as an event for strengthening the Aragonese identity, with the participation of the majority of the people of Zaragoza. In 1980, over 50,000 citizens participated.
THIRD STAGE
In 1998, the filmmaker Bigas Luna, an expert on the Fiestas del Pilar and the city of Zaragoza, encouraged to change the location of the Offering to another location at the Plaza del Pilar, with a satisfactory result. The replica was put at the centre of the square, increasing the magnificence and surface of her mantle: the surface of flowers is now 55 m deep, 18 m large and more than 15 m high.
The Offering has kept growing with a constant rhythm: in contrast with the 2,000 participants of the year 1958, at the beginning of the 21st century the number is 25,000 participants per hour during the eight hours of the parade, and seven million flowers.
THE STATUE OF THE VIRGIN
The statue of the virgin is over 3 metres high -including its crown and mantle- and its very solid structure is about 7 metres height since it is prepared to stand the cierzo (strong North wind) that can blow in Zaragoza, and is raised in order to be seen from any place of the square.
ORIGINS OF THE OFFERING OF THE LORRAINE CROSS TO THE PILAR VIRGIN
The Lorraine Cross a double-barred red cross) is from October 1902 the international symbol of the fight against tuberculosis, and for that reason the sanatorium for tuberculosis "El Cascajo", -today General Hospital Royo Villanova- offers to the Virgin every Pilar Day a Lorraine Cross made of flowers.
The cross is made of red carnations put on the Virgin´s mantle, previously weaved with white carnations and gladioli.
The origin of this tradition is linked to the Offering from its very beginning. One of the patients of the Sanatorium was frequently visited by a high civil servant of the City of Zaragoza, and from their conversations, with the participation of Dr. Val Calvete -doctor responsible for attending this patient-, the idea came up of the Sanatorium offering a Cross of Lorraine to the Virgin during the Offering.
When deciding who was to make the offering, they understand that the cross cannot be taken by patients, and the staff of the Hospital do not take up their mind, so the representative of the City Council proposes to the Queen of the Festival and her Court of Honour to do it.
Therefore, on 12 October 1960 took place the first offering of the cross of Lorraine, made by the Queen of the Festival, Mrs. Mª del Carmen Claramunt Uriarte.
This tradition was kept until the figure of the Queen of the Fiestas was suppressed in 1979. During the following 3 or 4 years the cross was taken by female patients discharged some days before, accompanied by the staff of the sanatorium.
At present, an association called "Asociación Cruz de Lorena" -founded in 2008 and mainly composed by the staff of the Hospital Royo Villanova and friends- keep this tradition and the mantle of flowers of the Virgin can continue to be showed every year.
The group set out from plaza de España at 10.25 AM.
COROMOTO ORCHIDS
This tradition originates from the initiative of the municipal chronicler Mr. Humberto Gallegos Castillo on 10 October 1971, in Píritu, estado Portuguesa, Venezuela. It is inspired by the devotion to the Pilar Virgin, patron saint of the Hispanic World, and the Virgin of Coromoto, patron saint of Venezuela, and in the religious faith that twins both countries.
This tradition collects the most representative elements of the Venezuelan culture and consists of sending a bouquet of natural orchids as an homage from the saint patron of Venezuela to the Pilar Virgin. It must be stressed that the orchid is the national flower of Venezuela. The bouquet is artistically interweaved with a ribbon with the three colours of Venezuela´s flag, and welcomed with the national anthem of Venezuela to be blessed. After that, the bouquet is placed at the feet of the Virgin of Coromoto and seen off to Zaragoza with the song "Alma Llanera" a Venezuelan joropo (folk dance) considered as a second anthem of the country.
After moving and simple ceremony, the bouquet of flowers is blessed and sent to be offered to the Pilar Virgin as an offering of peace and union.
STATUE OF THE VIRGIN USED IN THE PROCESSION
The statue is made in golden silver and enriched with old jewels created by Miguel Cubeles in 1620 (according to Federico Torralba). It is an elegant work of art enriched with gems and wonderful pearls. The slender and graceful figure si kept the whole year in the jewel box of the major sacristy at the Basilica del Pilar. During important ceremonies the sculpture is usually placed before the high altar on stands made on worked silver by the silversmith Estrada. Bartolomé Morlanes, descendant of this famous family of artists, gave this work of art as a present
ALTAR FOR THE OFFERING: CHARACTERISTICS AND SETTING UP
The structure is about 15 metres high and 16 metres wide. The statue of the virgin is placed on a pyramidal frustum structure of 6 bodies which weights about 40 tons ands is composed of standard pieces of iron and other strong materials.
In order to avoid unexpected circumstances, the setting-up starts at 6 AM on 10 October and finishes at 11 AM.
The whole staff that takes part in the Offering is composed, among others, of many trade sections of the Municipality such as blacksmiths, lighting specialists, setting up workers, gardeners, and of course the public cleansing service. Thirty workers are necessary to set up the structure.
As the square is slightly sloped, the most difficult part of the whole process is the levelling of the lowest floor in order to get a symmetrical appearance. Once the lowest floor has been put, the inner structure is built in order to place also the trellis for the flowers.
On Pilar Day everything has to be perfectly prepared, from the fixing, building and setting up systems of the stand for the Virgin´s crown and her mantle, to the picking up of flowers from the groups and individuals at the altar and the many participants coming from the different access areas. A security area allowing gardeners to pick up and place all the bouquets is also established.
ON-LINE OFFERING
The Flowers Offering is an example of a massively attended event and the landmark of the Fiestas del Pilar. A deeply rooted tradition constantly renovated. But this year, one more step will be given. In the 21st century, the Flowers Offering also wants to make use of new technologies. For that reason, the on-line offering has been created. People will have the possibility to put their flowers at the feet of a virtual image of the Virgin through the Internet or sending an sms.
Thanks to this idea, the Flowers Offering will really become the core event of the homage to the Patron Saint of the Hispanic World: flowers will be received from any part of the world, the number of participants will increase, and the physical boundaries of the Plaza del Pilar will be "virtually" overcome
