Mariano Martínez Béjar kicks off the celebrations, which commemorate the invasion by troops from Granada in 1477
That the residents of Cieza and visitors live a reunion party after two years without celebrations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That was the main message that Mariano Martínez Béjar, town crier of the Fiestas del Escudo ‘La Invasión’ in Cieza, wanted to convey in the proclamation that kicked off the celebrations, which took place yesterday afternoon.
“The Fiestas del Escudo belong to the town of Cieza and, therefore, the people of Cieza have to know what we recreate during them so that, at the same time, we know our history”, said Mariano Martínez Béjar during his speech, which took place at the San Bartolomé square. Before the proclamation, the festeros carried out the traditional ‘Homage to the Shield’ on the Balcony of the Wall and the offering of flowers to the Patron Saint of Cieza, San Bartolomé.
Abu-Al-Hassan’s troops
The festivities will be held between April 29 and May 1. To recreate the historical events that happened almost 550 years ago, when King Abu-Al-Hassan’s Moorish troops from Granada invaded the town and looted it. On April 29, after a parade, the medieval market and the Moorish and Christian camps will be inaugurated. In addition, the act of handing over powers to the Commander will be held.
On the 30th there will be a street parade and a pyrotechnic show in the morning and, in the afternoon, the crowning moment will arrive, with the recreation of the invasion on the Iron Bridge. Finally, on Sunday, May 1, the delivery of the Christian hostages will take place in the morning, while, in the afternoon, the great parade of Moors and Christians will take place through the streets of the old town and the Camino de Murcia.
As for the festive positions, Francisco Miguel Zamorano will represent the Nasrid king, while the member of the Knights and Ladies of the Encomienda, Juan Semitiel, will hold the position of Commander of the Villa. Ciezano journalist Alejo Jesús Lucas and the vice president of the Federation of Moors and Christians of Murcia, Pascual López, will hold the Moorish and Christian embassies. Finally, the role of ‘the mute’ will fall to Emilia Marín and the priest will be Manuel Benedicto Pérez de Lema.
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