OFFICIAL PROGRAMME OF CELEBRATIONS 2002

MARCH

Saturday 2

• At 20'00 Ceremony of presentation of the festivals. At the Emilio Thuiller Theatre.

Saturday 16

• Bullfighting festival. At the Bullring.

Saturday 23

• At 20'00 Official Presentation of the Amazons, both infantile and adult, of the Wine                                               
  Horses. At the municipal Stadium of El Salvador.

APRIL

Saturday 6

• At 18'00 I Festival of Music Bands " Music and Festivals in Caravaca de la Cruz". At the plaza del Arco.
• At 21'30 Medieval Supper organized by the Knight Templars. Meeting at the Plaza del Arco.

Sunday 7

• At 12'30 Official Presentation of the Infantile Sultans and Infantile Christian King and Queen. At the Emilio Thuiller Theatre.

From 8 to 12 April

• Cultural Week organized by the Wine Horses Association.

Saturday 13

The Christians Day. Activities organized by the different Christian groups and held at the Christian Encampment.
In the morning, firework and street music bands. At midday meeting and free meal at the Encampment.
Popular parade of music bands along the most important streets of CaravacaThe Christians Day. Activities organized by the different Christian groups and held at the Christian Encampment.
In the morning, firework and street music bands. At midday meeting and free meal at the Encampment.
Popular parade of music bands along the most important streets of Caravaca

• At 23'45 Medieval Ball.

Sunday 14

• At 12'30 Mass for the Moorish Groups. At the Sanctuary.

From 15 to 19 April

• Cultural Week organized by Cábila Almorávides

Tuesday 15 and Thrusday 18 April

• Cultural activities organized by the Moorish Groups.

Friday 19

• At 22'00 Moorish Supper Organized by Cábila Almorávides.At the Campeón Restaurant.

Saturday 20

• The Moors Day. Chilaba's Ball and Supper.
• At 8'00 Firework and free breakfast.
• At 12'30 Parade of music bands.
• At 14'30 Meal organized by the Moorish Association.
• At 16'30 Free Moorish tea.
• At 21'00 Chilaba's Supper and Ball.
• At 1'00, meeting of Moorish groups and music bands and Parade along the most popular places of Caravaca.

Sunday 21

• At 11'00 Meeting of the Wine Horses Association at the Church of Santa Elena. Then, procession of the image to the Sanctuary.
• At 12'30 Mass for the Wine Horses Association. Later, traditional raffle for the order of appearance of the Wine Horses at the celebrations of the 2nd May.
• At 19'00 Official Presentation of the new Christian king and Queen. At the Thuiller Theatre.

From 22 to 26 April

• Cultural Week organized by the Christian Groups.

Wednesday 24 April

• At 17'15 Reception of El Tio de la Pita (popular pipe player that announces the festivals).
  Meeting at the Plaza Elíptica.

25,26,27,28,29 April

• At 8'00 Firework and parade of El Tio de la Pita.
• At 17'30 Games and Competitions for children at the Placeta del Santo.
• At 18'30 Parade of Giants and Large Headed dwarfs, accompanied by El Tio de la Pita.

Friday 26

• At 20'00 Swearing of the Christian King, Medieval Supper and Romancero Maldito, performed by the Caballeros de San Juan.

Saturday 27

The Neckerchief's Day (these neckerchiefs are worn the 2nd of May for the celebration of the Wine Horses Day).
In the morning, fireworks and music bands.

• At 14'30 Meal
• At 16'00 Free coffee and Official Neckerchiefs of the Wine Horses selling.
• At 23'30 The Neckerchief's Ball. At the Plaza del Arco.

Sunday 28

• At 12'30 Holy Mass for the Christian Groups, blessing of standards and coronation of the Christian King and Queen.
• At 20'30 Official Announce of the beginning of the festivals made by Mr. José Moreno Espinosa, president of the Cajamurcia Foundation from the Town Hall's Balcony.

Tuesday 30

• At 7'00 General Bell-ringing and fireworks.
• At 9'30 Official Collect. With the participation of civil, military and ecclesiatical authorities, as well as the Royal and Illustrious Brotherhood of the Most Holy and True Cross of Caravaca and the Commission of Festivities.
• At 23'00 XXXI Competition of Migas (typical meal) of the Southeast. At the Plaza de los Caballos del Vino and its surroundings.

MAY

Wednesday 1

• At 7'00 General Bell-Ringing from the Parish Church of El Salvador.
• At 11'00 Offer of flowers to the Holy Cross.
  Meeting of authorities, Brotherhood, Commission of Festivities, Moorish and Christian Groups and Wine Horses Peñas at the Corredera.
  Offer of flowers to the Cross at the Sanctuary.
  Mass sung by the Coros y Danzas Group.
  At this Mass the new members of the Brotherhood will be given their pendant of the Cross for the first time.
• At 17'00 Competition of Horses without Harness. Meeting of Peñas at the Plaza Elíptica. Beginning of the parade to the Plaza del Hoyo for the competition.
• At 20'00 Satiric Romance. Performed by Caballeros de San Juan de Jerusalén at the Plaza Tuzla.
• At 20'00 Welcome of Music Bands and parade from the Plaza Elíptica to the Plaza del Arco.
• At 22'00 the Musical Association San Sebastián will play the Hymn of Caravaca.
• Then, Exhibition of Embroidered Harnesses.

Thrusday 2

• At 4'00 Bell-Ringing from the Parish Church of El Salvador.
• At 7'00 Firework and Bell-Ringing from all the churches in the city.
• At 9'00 Mass of Commemoration of the Appearance of the Most Holy and True Cross of Caravaca. It will be celebrated at the Templete, where all the Moorish, Christian and Wine Horses Groups will meet.
• At 9'30 Parade of the Wine Horses. Its itinerary will be the following: Templete, Cuesta de la Simona, Calle del Hoyo, Plaza de los Caballos del Vino, Canalejas, Vidrieras, Gregorio Javier, Plaza del Arco and Gran Vía, to reach again the Templete.
• At 11'15 Parade of Moors and Christians.
  Itinerary: Templete, Poeta Ibáñez, Canalejas, Gregorio Javier and Plaza del Arco.There the authorities will join the Parade following their way to Puentecilla, Gran Vía, Maruja Garrido, Santísimo, Rafael Tejeo, Mayor and Sanctuary.
• At 13'15 the Wine Horses will join this Parade at the crossing of Santísimo and Rafael Tejeo. The Brother Superior of the Brotherhood will take the bouquet of flowers that later will be offered to the Holy Cross by the Major. These flowers represent the present that people from Caravaca give to the Cross at this very special day.
  Blessing of the Wine and the Flowers.
• At 14'00 Race of the Wine Horses and Harnesses Competition. The Race is celebrated at the last hill that reaches the Sanctuary.
• At 20'00 Battle between Moors and Christians. The Muslims manage to conquest the fortress.
• At 20'30 Procession of the Holy Cross. From the Sanctuary to the Parish Church of El Salvador. Moorish and Christian Groups will join this procession after the authorities.

Friday 3

• At 11'00 Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Cartagena Mr. Manuel Ureña Pastor at the Parish Church of El Salvador.
• At 12'30 Children's Parade. Its itinerary will be the following: Plaza Elíptica, Gran Via and Plaza del Arco.
• At 17'45 Procession of the Bath of the Cross.
  The Moorish and Cristian Groups will begin the procession from the Parish Church of El Salvador to the Templete.
  Then, the Cross will leave the Parish Church to reach the Cuesta de la Cruz before the Blessing of the Water at the Templete.
• At 20'30 Parliament between the Christian King and the Sultan. After that, another battle will be performed.
• At 21'00 Blessing of the Water and procession to the Parish Church. The Moorish and Christian Groups will join this procession at 22'00. The itinerary will be as it follows: Templete, Corredera, Maruja Garrido, Gran Vía, Puentecilla, Plaza del Arco and Parish Church of El Salvador.
  Firework from the esplanade of the Sanctuary.

Saturday 4

• At 8'00 Holy Mass from the Parish Church of El Salvador.
• At 9'00 Cruz de Impedidos ( the Cross visits ill people at home).
• At 17'30 Mass at the Parish Church of San Francisco. Procession to the Parish Church of La Concepción.
• At 20'00 Spectacular Parade of Moors and Christians, From the Plaza Elíptica, Gran Vía to the Plaza del Arco.
  At the end of the Parade, firework spectacle.

Sunday 5

• At 8'00 Holy Mass at the Parish Church of La Concepción.
• At 9'00 Cruz de Impedidos.
• At 18'00 Final procession from the Parish Church of el Salvador to the Sanctuary.
• Then, from the Castle's enclosure, Blessing of the city and its fields.
• At 24'00 Final Firework and end of the festivities.

Sunday 12

• At 13'00 Mass at the cemetery. In memory of members of the Brotherhood, Moorish and Christian Groups and Wine Horses Peñas.

Useful telephone numbers:

Police Station:968702001
Civil Guard Headquarters: 968708403-062
Civil Protection: 968703507
Fire Brigade: 968702030
Red Cross: 968700101
Ambulances: 968707933-061
Emergencies: 968702412
Hospital Emergencies: 968702712

Map Symbols:

Information
Tourist Office
Sanitary Services:

1. Hospital
2. Health Center Of touristic interest:
        - Hermitage of La Reja
         - Bullring
3. Royal Sanctuary of the most Holy and True Cross of Caravaca
4. Parish Church of El Salvador
5. Town Hall
6. House of Culture
7. Templete
8. Church Nuestra Señora del Carmen.Carmelite Convent
9. Palace of La Encomienda
10. Church of Jesuitas
11. Church of San José.Carmelite Convent
12. Hermitage of Santa Elena
13. Church of Concepción
14. Plaza de los Caballos del Vino
15. Hermitage of San Sebastián
16. Church of Santa Clara.Clarisas Convent