Constitution in the rythm of flamenco

When in Poland we hang our white-red flags, put the flowers on the statue, listen politics speach and, ewentualy, dancing polonaise because of celebrating first in Europe 3rd May constitution. In Andalusia wear flamenco dress and go dancing under the flowery cross to celebrate Dia de la Cruz. 

It is said that the byzantine emperor – Constantine the Great had a dream where he can see a cross on the sky with the description: under this sign is your victory. The emperor took the cross to set a battle and he really won it. Then Constantine sent his mother – Helen to Jerusalem to find the Jesus cross and she did. She also divided it into 3 part and each of it left in each christian city: Rome, Jerusalem and Constantinopole. The emperor declared christianity the state religion. Follow this tradition the 3rd of May is the Day of the Cross.

In Granada the celebrations of this day started in1625 it became a cross of alabaster in the district of San Lazaro and all locals celebrated by singing and dancing with it. Then they continued the tradition in the most typical neighborhoods of the Albayzín and Realejo, and children began to build small altars decorated with shawls, pottery and copper.

Today, many of these traditions are preserved, including put a pair of scissors stabbed into a pero (in Granada they called that the apples) but it means also – but. It mean to not criticize the cross decorations (It is pretty, but...). It is also tradition that the children ask for chavico (little money) for the cross.

During The Day of the Cross in Granada we can see crosses decorated on all over the city – in public and private places, where the people set the table and invite for the vine, tapas, singing and dancing to celebrate this day. There is also a contest for the best decorated cross. And I regret that I do not have a horse and flamenco dress to look more local than the fascinated giri could not decided where and what make the photo first.