Romerias, announcement of summertime

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Romeria of San Antonio, one of the most spectacular in the Basque Country

As summer approaches the number of romerias increases. These are local country fiestas usually connected to sanctuaries and hermitages, in which villagers honour their patron saints.

One of the most spectacular is the romeria of San Antonio, in Urkiola, held on 13th June, to which thousands of people flock. They ask the Saint to protect their animals from harm, or, in many cases, to put an end to their unwanted spinster - or bachelorhood.

Whilst the pre-Christian rites of the winter solstice faded out on being absorbed by the Christmas fiestas, the summer solstice remained as strong as ever. At this time the old traditions of purification, and the exaltation of summer and light, are resuscitated with new vigour. On the magic night of the summer solstice, the night of Saint John, thousands of bonfires are lit in all of the villages, hamlets, and country houses in the Basque Country. An enormous number of communities hold their patron saint's day fiestas on the feast of Saint John, although it is perhaps those of Tolosa which are the most highly colourful occasions, with their "corridas" (when bulls are let loose on a route through the streets), processions, original town dances such as the Bordon Dantza, and a review of arms, amongst other things.

And after Saint John comes Saint Peter. In Lekeitio, for example, Saint Peter's Day gives rise to a traditional fiesta in which a dantzari dances on a large chest or kutxa borne on the shoulders of his companions: this is the Kaxarranka. In the last days of June we can also see the Dantzari Dantzak in Berriz, dances with swords or poles, common in the Duranguesado area of Bizkaia.