The rose of Saint George
Saint George was declared patron saint of Catalonia in 1456 and around those dates the Lovers' Fair began, in which roses were given to girls
On Sant Jordi's Day, it is traditional to give roses, a flower that was already appreciated in antiquity for its symbolic values. Its cultivation is lost in classical cultures, it seems it already existed in Mesopotamia, and both Greeks and Romans were very fond of it. In addition to its ornamental function, this plant was highly valued for its curative and aromatic properties, and was used in perfumery. In Rome, the rosetum was a type of garden formed almost exclusively by rose bushes. And every May they celebrated the Rosalia, a festival in which roses were brought to the graves of the deceased. In Latin culture, the red rose had a special consideration, it was linked to amorous passion and lovers thanks to its relationship with the goddess Venus. Therefore, we could say that giving red roses is a custom of Roman origin.
Rosa de Rosari
Christianity also adopted the red rose as an emblem. The petals represented the wounds of Christ, while the thorns alluded to the torment of martyrs. Legend has it that in the 6th century Saint Medard instituted the Feast of the Rose, in which roses were given to the most virtuous maiden. In the Middle Ages, this flower gained great importance as a symbol of Jesus' passion, and was widely cultivated in monastic gardens. Later, it was associated with the new cult of the Virgin Mary, developed from the 12th century by the Cistercian order, which was the first to name its abbeys with Marian advocations, and the main disseminator of the rose, which it adopted as its motto.
This new perception can be observed in the popular devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary, which was one of the most widespread cults in medieval Catalonia, promoted by the order of the Dominican friars. This order established the confraternities of the Rosary and instituted their feast on May 8th. The founder of the Dominicans, Saint Dominic de Guzmán, is considered the creator of the prayer of the rosary. The string of beads with which it is recited recalls the garlands of roses with which the images of the Virgin Mary were adorned, defined as a “spiritual crown of flowers”. The custom of reciting the rosary spread throughout Europe, and in 1475 the Dominican prior of Cologne created the first Confraternity of the Rosary, dedicated to spreading this particular prayer in which Mary is designated as the “mystical rose”.
Saint George and the rose
The origin of the cult of Saint George is quite obscure, the anthropologist J.G. Frazer related it to the Semitic god Baal, known in Anatolia as Jdor, a deity who was defeated in combat by death and then resurrected by the goddess Anad, in a metaphor for the triumph of spring. In the Balkans, this god was celebrated every April 23rd. The history of Christian George appeared in the 4th century and presented him as a Roman soldier who, during a persecution against Christians, refused to kill anyone and was therefore martyred. The cult of the saint soon arrived in Europe, and Saint George of Cappadocia was already venerated by the Merovingian monarchy. Subsequently, the warriors returning from the Crusades made him the patron saint of European cavalry. And in the 13th century his legend spread, collected in the Golden Legend by Jacopo da Varazze. There George was a warrior who saved a princess from being devoured by a dragon, and when the monster's blood fell to the ground, a rose bush was born.
In Catalonia, red roses became an emblem of Saint George. Kings such as Peter the Catholic, James I, or Peter the Ceremonious contributed to popularizing the saint's festival, which mixed the episode of the dragon's blood transformed into a rose bush with the Christian metaphor of Christ's blood turned into a rose. From here began the custom of gifting them to the girls who went to the Palau de la Generalitat, to the mass held for Saint George in the saint's chapel. In the evening of that day, it was traditional for fiancés and couples in love to attend. Soon, a fair of roses and carnations began to be organized in the Pati dels Tarongers of the Generalitat, a flower market that in the 15th century was known as the Fair of Lovers. Saint George's Day, declared patron saint of Catalonia from 1456 onwards, was also known as Valentine's Day.
The festival of the rose
Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the rose gained progressive popularity. Its cultivation became widespread, and the custom of throwing rose petals in the path of processions, such as Corpus Christi, spread throughout the territory. During the 16th century, the devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary became generalized. It was also the peak moment for the prayer of the rosary, when Pope Pius V entrusted the Christian army to Our Lady in the Battle of Lepanto, and asked the faithful to pray the rosary. Upon being victorious in combat, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted on October 7th, the anniversary of the battle.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Lovers' market, which was held in the courtyard of the Generalitat, had already spread to Bisbe street, Plaça Sant Jaume, and its sidewalks. Carnations had disappeared, and it was a fair practically reserved for the red rose, which was given to one's fiancée or bride. In the 19th century, this Lovers' Fair gained momentum and importance. From the guide El libro verde de Barcelona, from 1848, we know that at that time, not a single red rose was given to one's beloved, but rather the custom was to offer a bouquet.
At the end of the 19th century, the figure of Saint George took on a more patriotic and cultural significance, while the tradition of giving roses was presented as a civic celebration. From El Correo Catalán, we know that in 1884 the fair had grown considerably in size, and in a few years it would reach La Rambla. In May 1913, the Festival of the Rose was organized at Turó Park. The following year, the Mancomunitat de Catalunya began to promote the Sant Jordi rose. Shortly thereafter, in 1926, the Valencian writer Vicent Clavel promoted the Festival of the Book, which initially commemorated the birth of Miguel de Cervantes on October 7th. Three years later, the booksellers' guild changed the date and made it coincide with Saint George's Day.
The current festival did not appear until 1931, with the first republican town hall, when the celebration of Saint George and the rose merged with books. From that moment on, rose stalls have colonized the entire city, and they appear in towns throughout Catalonia. The custom of giving roses and books has become internationalized, and has become one of the most significant moments in the Catalan festive calendar.