Sant Medir 2019

Tradition tells us that Sant Medir was a Catalan peasant who lived in the early fourth century in the Collserola mountains, near what today would be Sant Cugat del Vallès, and who was beheaded by the Romans for supposedly helping a priest. The traditions and the worshipping of the saint were lost and almost completely forgotten until, starting in the 19th century, the residents of Barcelona's Gràcia and Sarria-Sant Gervasi neighbourhoods started picking them back up again. These areas are where the celebrations originated and are now held every year on March 3.

This year, however, the activities relating to loads of sweets starts a month early. On February 10 at 11.30am, you can head to the church in Plaça de la Virreina for the blessing of the sweets. On Sunday the 17th at 11am, a parade gets underway from Plaça de Trilla (Gran de Gràcia between Santa Rosa and Santa Àgata) and you'll find things for kids to do in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. At 8am on Sunday the 24th, a group of pilgrims meet in Plaça de la Trilla to make their pilgrimage to Sant Medir Hermitage in Collserola.

Since Sant Medir's feast day falls on a Sunday this year, the main events of the festival will be held on Monday, March 4, including the horse-drawn carriages ride around the neighbourhoods of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Gràcia, regaling kids with loads of sweets.

The festival gets to the neighbourhood of La Bordeta on Tuesday, March 10, when, at 10.45am in front of the Parroquia de Sant Medir, and there will also be a day of 'castells' (human towers) in honour of the saint, with groups of castellers from the Barcelona neighbourhoods of Sants, Vila de Gràcia and Sarrià, as well as those from Sant Cugat.