Festivities in Meira
– Candelas (February 2 – Meira). A mass and procession is celebrated that has been maintained since the time when the monks inhabited the monastery. The candles are blessed and the traditional Candelas rosca is distributed, very similar to the roscón de Reyes. For Candelas, La Candeloria or Candelaria is the day that tradition marks as the marriage of birds: “From Candeloria no bird voa soa”.
– Carnival (Variable date – Meira). Shrove Tuesday is a public holiday in Meira, although the festival is celebrated on Monday night with a well-attended dance and costume contest.
– San Isidro (May 15 – Paredes). On the day of San Isidro, different masses are celebrated in the chapel of the Paredes neighborhood, where a neighborhood meal is usually celebrated under a tent.
– Corpus (Variable date – Meira). Normally it is celebrated on the Sunday without a fair closest to this date, between May and June. It is the day of celebration of the 1st communions. On some occasions, floral carpets are made to celebrate this day in front of the Meira church.
– San Pedro (June 29 – Vilar de Mouros). It is the patronal feast of this Meirego neighborhood, which is normally celebrated on Saturday night and at noon on the Sunday closest to June 29.
– Asunción and San Roque (August 14, 15 and 16 – Meira) The patron saint festivities of Meira honor the patron saint of his name (Santa María de Meira) and her patron, San Roque; therefore they are celebrated on August 15 and 16, although they extend from the 14th to the 17th. In addition to the procession that takes place through the Plaza Mayor on the 15th followed by the Vermouth Session, on the 16th the procession reaches the chapel of San Roque in the parish cemetery, where the mass is celebrated and later the return to the parish church followed of performance of the Municipal Band of Meira and Vermouth Session. The influx of visitors is very numerous and because of that, these festivals are well known in the area.
– Xira Campestre (August 17 – “Porto da Pena”) It is also important on the 17th of this month, since to say goodbye to the festivities all the residents and their guests come to eat next to the river Miño, in “O Porto da Pena “one kilometer from the center of the town, next to” O Pedregal de Irimia “.
-Fiesta de la “Malla” (Sunday without fair after August 17)
– Malla (Following Sunday without fair to the Patron Saint Festivities – Meira)
– Virgen de las Mercedes (September 24 – O Estreito)
Xira campestre de Meira
The Country Tour in Meira takes place on August 17, as the final culmination of the parish festivities that begin, normally on the 14th, continue on the 15th with the patron saint’s day, Santa María, on the 16th the patron, San Roque, and finally this day 17 the Tour.
This is a centuries-old tradition that is still preserved. Years ago, these picnics were much more frequent than they are today. In practically all the parishes the patron saint’s party was celebrated in this way. Few are the villages that still maintain this custom in its original context, but it is true that the youth are grateful for this type of celebration and contribute to the preservation of the ethnographic and cultural heritage.
To this day, the Tour is held in the place of “O Porto da Pena”, next to the Miño River, among birch meadows.
The villagers come there together with their guests to enjoy a summer day outdoors.
Some choose to make a churrasco on the spot, but the vast majority take their lunch from home. The most common is to compose the menu of hors d’oeuvres, salad, empanada, omelette, roast meat, roast ham, roast ribs, loin, etc. In general, anything a little solid, that does not spill easily, that can be cooked in the morning or the day before, that is comfortable to serve at the table or on the blankets that are put on the floor for people to sit on. .
The afternoon passes by the river, talking, playing cards, someone taking a nap, dancing with the brass bands that brighten the day and with popular games that entertain and amuse us all: sack races, three feet , egg toss, relay games, foam parties and a long etcetera.
Apart from all these games (where if you are a little cautious you will wear clothes to change, just in case), you should always keep in mind that you are eating next to a river, therefore, at any time, you You may find yourself involved in a water battle, where the only objective is that others do not go drier than yourself. It is about respecting people who do not want to participate or be wet, but since in war anything goes, when you run between snacks trying to escape or chase another person, it is very likely that someone will end up splashed and loved avenge.
Apart from this activity typical of any holiday, the afternoon passes quietly, talking, visiting the neighbors at their respective snacks and accompanying the visit with a coffee.
In this environment everyone is well received, whether or not from the municipality itself. You only have to fulfill one condition if you want to establish yourself: respect the spaces that are marked out or marked, since there are people who mark them with enough days in advance to be able to reunite several related families in the same area and, Sometimes, also by tradition and custom, because all those who go to the Tour know where to find the snack of the person / family they are looking for.
People spend all day on the river side until evening. Some choose to collect all their things and take them home, have dinner and rest a bit and then return to the party at night. The installation of portable tents is becoming more and more common, so there are also those who decide to stay until the last moment, have dinner there or even stay camping, because what is clear is that we are celebrating and tomorrow will be another day!
