Lugo's Patron Saint: San Party-on
The patron saint of the city and province of Lugo is San Froilán (froy-LAHN). The name, Froilan, comes from German and means something like “master of the land.” The actual guy, who later became Saint Froilán, was born in Lugo in 833 and became a priest some 18 years later. His claim to fame is that he founded many monasteries throughout Leon, where he served. He was apparently renowned for this work because an Asturian king (Alfonso III) heard about Froilán, and employed him to make sure people repopulated the land on the border of Asturias and Castilla y Leon: probably for political reasons (e.g. if people loyal to the king lived on the border, it would be harder for intruders to take lands from aforementioned king, but I’m purely speculating). Froilán also saw that two monasteries were built on the lands people were settling for the king. Then some years later came sainthood.
We know this information about Froilán’s life because one of his friends wrote a biography on Froilán, and then the good users of Wikipedia summarized it and put it on the web. Otherwise, the Spaniards I asked didn't really have an idea why San Froilán was so important as to be named patron of Lugo (but with so many saints all over the place, who can keep track?).
In honor of San Froilan, I propose we have a giant parade!
Really... A Giant Parade. For the kids, of course. (A Roman foot soldier in battle garb.)
In perfect Spanish tradition, patron saints like Froilán are celebrated with a citywide party. In Lugo, the festivities start October 4th each year and last until the 12th, and hundreds of thousands of people flood the city in search of the fun to be had (in 2012, apprx 140,000 people came to Lugo). Activities include watching street performers, enjoying musical groups who perform traditional songs, buying arts and crafts and jewelry, and eating octopus with friends.
The atmosphere is galleg-bsolutely magical!
Bagpipes may accost you from any direction, and spontaneous gallego dancing is bound to break out at any time.
The flood of people in 2012 was flood-y.
Despite the crowds, a lot of people told me that San Froilán 2012 was a smaller production than other years: probably because of the economic crisis in Spain.
But even the crisis didn’t stop Lugo from bringing one of Galicia’s biggest and most famous orquestas to the city: Panorama. Going to concerts by these orquestas to dance or to drink (or both!) is also a typical pastime during Spanish festivals. (For all intents and purposes, these orquestas are cover bands. Because, you see, another staple of fiestas in Spain is watching glittery nobodies cover songs of which you don’t even like the original.) Normally, orquestas consist of overly manicured guys in shiny suits and bubbly gals in mini dresses or other flashy outfits singing covers of current and bygone songs. Both the men and women in these bands also shake their hips off their hinges as a requisite.
Now, Panorama is renowned for all those attributes as well as on stage acrobatics and because they cover a lot of songs that are currently on the radio. In other words, Panorama is the biggest and most famous orquesta in Galicia (maybe even Spain) because they pay the original artists a lot of money to be able to perform these songs, and they can afford to pay the money because they’re the biggest and most famous. Therefore my belief in Marxist economic relations grows deeper...
Warning: Don’t get too close. Overacting and over-singing harmful to the senses. (Disclaimer: The pictured is some other schmuck, not Panorama.)
To wrap up the festivities, there’s a charming medieval fair on the last Sunday around the cathedral. All types of merchants in their old-style stands sell food, drinks, jewelry, and other handicrafts.
It’s simply enchanting!
Notable days:
October 5: Día de San Froilán
Sunday (in the middle of the week): Día de las Mozas (where younger girls dress up in traditional garb and do dances)
October 12: Medieval market and fireworks
http://www.sanfroilan.info/
The octopi (another Galician trademark) are on their way to Lugo! See the Roman wall and cathedral on the hill?
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