Selfies, an Espanyol jersey, and mass with Pujol: Salvador Illa's first Sant Jordi as president

BarcelonaA year ago, Salvador Illa, who aspired to govern the Generalitat of Catalonia, arrived at the PSC's little house on Rambla Catalunya, ready to shake hands and take photos andat the start of the Catalan election campaign. He landed after attending an event, the Sant Jordi Mass, which until then had been celebrated in the most discreet manner at the Palau de la Generalitat. President Illa began his first day as head of the Catalan government just as the island candidate did: by attending this Mass, which this year the Catalan government has made official (and where he coincided with former President Jordi Pujol). Afterwards, it was time for the traditional institutional address from the Pati dels Tarongers: "There is no more revolutionary gesture against hatred than giving a rose," Illa stated. In his speech, the Socialist leader hit all the right notes: he urged people to confront the far right, but also defended the Catalan language in Europe and remembered the victims of the DANA and the war in Ukraine. He also remembered Pope Francis, whose "moral leadership" he praised.

In fact, the institutional celebration of Sant Jordi has been marked by the official mourning declared in Catalonia for the death of the pontiff. The mass concluded with the blessing of roses by the abbot of Montserrat, who also remembered the figure of Francis during the sermon, and the reception of traditional organizations at the Palau was held behind closed doors. With the hot chocolate party canceled, and after presenting a rose and a book to a member of the Friends of the Elderly Association, Isla's first street event was a stroll through the book fair in downtown Barcelona in the afternoon. What the president's team had intended to be a route with no graphic coverage other than that of the Generalitat photographers (the media has not been informed of the time or place) turned into improvised greetings from citizens, including requests for selfies.

Two gifts: Sinca and Rodoreda

The heads of the pedestrians were turning as the head of the Catalan executive paraded by the publishers' and booksellers' stalls on Passeig de Gràcia, accompanied by his wife and the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández. "I'll tell my mother that the one who is there is over there." president"All things considered, I like him," commented a girl who was trying to make her way through the procession. A boy approached her with a curious request: that she sign an Espanyol shirt, a team that the socialist is a big fan of. Government to take a picture of him with a Polaroid with the president. The surprise and disappointment came when they pressed the button and nothing came out: the camera had no paper.

For about half an hour, Isla visited half a dozen stalls, from which she emerged with a couple of books under her arm as a gift. One is Candle, by Genís Sinca, and the other They don't know anything, by Mercè Rodoreda. Former CUP MP Eulàlia Reguant was at one of the stands, leaving hurriedly after seeing the president. "I'm leaving, goodbye!" she said to a journalist. At the stall at the Barcino publishing house, which is celebrating its centenary, Illa received a well-received poetic recommendation from one of the editors: Selected poems From Ausiàs March. At the Abacus cooperative stand, writer Rafael Vallbona offered him a little compliment: "How did you manage to have such good weather?" "It's a festival that goes by itself," Isla replied. "Some years we've had to go out in a canoe," Vallbona added, referring to the rainy Sant Jordi of 2022.

This route concluded the day for the president, who will ultimately miss the Sant Jordi event that the government had planned for this Saturday in Madrid. On his way back to the official car, he was only just missing the Speaker of the Parliament, Josep Rull, whom he also met this morning at mass in the Sant Jordi chapel. Less in demand than Isla, the speaker of the chamber also kindly attended to a few citizens who asked for a photo.