The Feast of Moors and Christians of Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia)

The Feast of Moors and Christians of Caravaca de la Cruz is an event of international tourist interest that is held every year in early May. Once the land border between the Kingdom of Castile and the emirate of Granada, Caravaca is still known for its beautiful Baroque Basilica of the Santisima y Vera Cruz (The Holy and True Cross), which houses a precious relic of the Cross of Christ. Since the fourteenth century the murcian town celebrates a suggestive procession known as the Baño de la Santisima y Vera Cruz: the parade of the Cross from the sanctuary to the sea. The procession is accompanied by an armed escort, which was originally tasked with protecting the sacred wood from possible attack by the Muslims. In the nineteenth century the rite of the Vera Cruz was enhanced with the introduction of a representation, in full costume, of the battle between Moors and Christians, which presents, among other things, also the traditional embajada: negotiations between the two contending armies before the staging of the battle. During the celebration of the Vera Cruz you can watch the wild ride of the famous Caballos del Vino (richly caparisoned steeds, photo).

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