A major celebration for the town of Colmenar is St.Blaise's holiday on February 3rd. Hundreds of residents will take their bagels to the parish of Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion to have them blessed in honour of their Patron Saint. Around 1,000 bagels will be blessed in this way. According to legend, this saint will protect people against throat diseases.
More than 300 people go to the parish carrying sacks of bagels so the town priest can bless them by spraying them with holy water. The bagels are kept in the home throughout the year and sent to friends and family. People are convinced that they will help them with their throat problems. The children however can't resist eating them on the day.
According to legend St.Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste Armenia in the 4th century AD healed a child who was choking on a fish bone by giving him some bread crumbs to swallow.
There are ather towns in the Malaga province that celebrate this day. In Pizarra, residents go to the convent to have their bagels blessed. In Canillas de Aceituno, children wear a bagel round their neck like a medal and eat it as the day goes by.
Colmenar Info
Covering some 65.5 km square and sitting 700 metres above sea level, Colmenar is part of the Malaga Province and borders Axarquia and Antequera. It is 35 km from Malaga city.
Outstanding sights include
Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria
Church of Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion
Puerto de la Cruz
Tourist Info
Plaza de espana, 9
Tel (0034) 952 730 000
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