The sardana, the national dance of Catalonia, is performed throughout the day in the Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona. Barcelona is the publishing capital of both Catalan and Spanish languages, and the combination of love and literacy was quickly adopted. Roses have been associated with this day since medieval times, but the giving of books is a more recent Catalan tradition originating in 1923, when a writer and publisher, Vicente Cavel, started to promote the holiday as a way to commemorate the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare on 23 April 1616. In modern times, the mutual exchange of books is also customary. From the 1920's, men gave women roses, and women gave men a book to celebrate the occasion – "a rose for love and a book forever." The fair of roses was called the lovers' fair because it was attended by engaged and recently married couples. In Catalonia the main activity is the exchange of roses and books between sweethearts, loved ones and colleagues. La Diada de Sant Jordi ( Catalan pronunciation:, Saint George's Day), also known as El Dia de la Rosa (The Day of the Rose), or El Dia del Llibre (The Day of the Book), or the Day of Books and Roses. In addition, there is a procession to the shrine of the Virgin of La Montaña, a bonfire competition, and a search for two golden eggs hidden in Cáceres. Festivities include the "burning of the dragon" and dramatizes re-enactments of the battles between Christians and Muslims. Extremadura Įach year Extremadura celebrations focus on the Christian reconquest of the city of Cáceres. The town Viérnoles in Cantabria celebrates several days of "Las Fiestas de San Jorge" at the end of April and or beginning of May. Day of Aragon commemorates the Battle of Alcoraz, when Huesca was conquered by the Aragonese army and where San Jorge allegedly appeared to the Christian forces at a critical moment in the battle, aiding them to victory for the " True Faith". In 1978 Aragón officially declared April 23 as a celebration for San Jorge and titled it "Dia de Aragón". Saint George's day is not celebrated in Andalusia. Saint George's Day (San Jorge in Castillian/Spanish and Sant Jordi in Catalan ) is celebrated annually on April 23.
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