Quinquennals

The feast day of Our Lady of Mercy, Ulldecona’s patron saint, is celebrated on the first Sunday of the week of 12 September. There is a festivity in the shrine every year, and every five years, the Five-Yearly Festivities, Ulldecona’s most important festival, are celebrated on the years ending in 4 and 9. Ulldecona’s Five-Yearly Festivities have been held continuously every five years since their inception, and a total of fifteen Five-Yearly Festivities have been held. In 1964, Ulldecona Town Council agreed to move the town’s Local Festivities from October (Saint Luke’s day) to September (Our Lady of Mercy), which fell at the same time as the Five-Yearly Festivities in that year. The Five-Yearly Festivities have become increasingly spectacular ever since because, in addition to traditional religious ceremonies, they include all the events held during the Local Festivities. Among them are the opening speech and the proclamation of the Queen of the Local Festivities (the Fiestas princess). The Five-Yearly Festivities begin when the people of Ulldecona go to the shrine to collect Our Lady of Mercy. One of the most exciting moments during the festivities is her arrival in the town, where crowds of people wait for her. Our Lady of Mercy is processioned through Ulldecona for nine days. The town is laid out in sectors and the procession passes through all its streets, which are decorated with a wide variety of floral motifs created by the residents. After these nine days, the Virgin Mary returns to her shrine, accompanied by the people of the town. There is a tradition of decorating the town as a ritual to welcome the Virgin. The streets are decorated with paper ribbons, clothing and other materials; handmade counterpanes and bedspreads are placed on the balconies. Most residents are involved in decorating the different streets. Other events also take place during the Local Festivities. These include the “Dance of the shawls” (a traditional dance in the town, popularly known as “Xim-xim” or the “Jota de Ulldecona”); bull running (in the streets, in the ring, and with wooden balls on their horns), traditional dance events, parades by Ulldecona’s giants and bigheaded figures, dances, music concerts, “correfoc” fire running, sports competitions, a photo competition, guided tours and exhibitions, among others, in addition to the firework display that concludes the festivities. Many cultural, leisure and religious events are also organised for all ages. The person chosen to make the opening speech in each Five-Yearly Festivities is a prominent figure related to the town.