Ofrenda Floral

As I ventured toward the centre tonight, I was met by swarms of people.  I’ve been to some pretty crowded places before, but I am tempted to say that is the most people in the smallest space (streets) I may have ever experienced.  Definitely fish swimming upstream.  Ha.  This, combined with the mass amounts of horses being ridden in the streets and the copious amount of flower buckets, led to the question: “What in the world is going on here?”

Come to find out, today is another celebration in Granada, called Ofrenda Floral.  Literally, the sidewalk wrapping around streets was filled with people standing in a line to offer flowers to the virgin of Granada and see the statue of her placed inside the doors of one of the local churches.  What an interesting tradition. 

The literal translation of the name of Granada’s virgin is the “Virgin of Anguish.”  I am going to do some research on this subject and why this city makes offerings to a virgin of such suffering.

The end result of the flower offering was pretty neat though.  Tall metal sheets, with lots of holes I’m guessing, were attached to the front of the church.  Several workers were placing all the flowers given to make giant floral tapestries.  It was a very pretty sight. 


(I'm using someone's picture so you can get more of the full effect!)  

I’m looking forward to some convos with my Spanish friends back in Missouri about this and more.  Being here has definitely increased my curiosity and given me fresh questions to ask them about occurrences they have mentioned to me in the past.  It just took moving here to understand a little better and have more pointed questions to ask.  J