It is a whole tradition in Catalonia and even the custom is already spreading to other places in Spain. In truth, for romantics, sensitive people and lovers of reading, there can be no better gift than a rose and a book. Already both are good gifts, endearing and full of symbolism. But if they also contain their legend, the attraction for Sant Jordi is even greater. Don’t you know the story? Well, read carefully, because we are going to explain why on Sant Jordi’s Day a book and a rose are given away. She will love you.
What is the relationship between the Day of Aragon and the Day of Sant Jordi?
You may not know it, but there is a close relationship between the day of Sant Jordi and the day of Aragón, one of the regions with the most history in Spain. And it is that on April 23, which is the official day of Aragon Saint George is honored, who is the patron saint of the kingdom of Aragon, which is why the day is marked as a holiday on the calendar.
What is celebrated on Sant Jordi Day
By the way, before proceeding with the explanation of what is celebrated on Sant Jordi Dayeither why the tradition of giving a book and a rose On this very special event, you have to know that Sant Jordi’s Day, as well as Book Day, takes place on April 23rd. So go writing down this date on the calendar.
It is on April 23, when Saint George dies, a martyred soldier who is considered the patron saint of different countries and some autonomous communities of Spain such as Catalonia and Aragon. He is also venerated in other corners of the Spanish map such as some towns in Alicante, Cáceres, Córdoba or Santurce.
This soldier dies on April 23, although we must go far back in time and, specifically, to the year 303. Coincidentally, some time later, in 1995, UNESCO proclaimed the same day as World Book Day. On April 23, apart from giving each other books and roses, the “Diada de Sant Jordi” is commemorated. Beyond an eminently cultural festival, this day Catalan culture is vindicated. For this reason, apart from buying and giving away books and flowers, many balconies hang the community flag.
We tell you more about why World Book Day is on April 23:
It should also be noted that at day and Sant Jordiother anniversaries are added that motivated the declaration of April 23 as Day of the book Worldwide. It is about the death of three of the most important writers of universal literature such as Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Garcilaso de la Vega. The three authors have managed to cross the borders of time and space, falling in love with their literature and leaving their mark over the centuries.
These are all the celebrations that take place on April 23, where all of us who are passionate about letters have a special date in the bookstores of our town and in other spaces where reading events and the like are organized.
Keep learning about Book Day:
Where does the tradition of the Sant Jordi book and rose come from?
We have seen the official data of the origin of the day of the book and the day of Saint George. However,Where does the tradition of the Sant Jordi book and rose come from?? The custom of giving a book as a gift is already clear to us, and it is done in homage to all the writers in the world, that is, to those people who, without necessarily having been successful in their time, or not even today, but They have decided to follow their vocation and pour their soul into capturing through letters their thoughts, their emotions and their being.
We want to promote reading as a healthy and enriching habit for people and, especially, for the youngest. Although any occasion is a good one to give away or buy a book, the fact of having an auspicious date for it can motivate the public to experience the pleasure of receiving a book, or to read more than on other occasions. As on Valentine’s Day or Christmas, shops promote articles related to these reasons to encourage us to consume, in the Book Day and Sant Jordi They do this by motivating us to acquire books, meet their authors and expand our library.
Refering to custom of giving a rose for San Jordi, its origin is found in a legend, or rather, in two, because there are different versions. It is said that in the fifteenth century, the rose fair took place in Barcelona around this time. Taking advantage of this fair, the men gave a rose to the girls who left the mass. Over time, this tradition is reserved, especially, for couples, where the rose symbolizes passion and, often, it is also normal that an ear of wheat is given, along with the rose, which symbolizes fertility.
But the thing does not end here, because there are legend around that rose of Sant Jordi. Legend has it that there was a dragon that terrified the city. To calm the fury of the animal, the inhabitants had to sacrifice two lambs daily. There came a time when the lambs were already scarce and so they decided to send a person as a sacrifice, along with a lamb. This person was chosen by lottery to be sacrificed.
One day, it is not known whether because it was the lottery or because the inhabitants wanted (there are opposite versions), it is the princess who is given as a sacrifice to the dragon. But before she was devoured, the knight Saint George entered the dragon’s cave, plunged his sword into it and killed it to save the princess. They say that from the blood of the beast a rosebush was born. The knight picked up the rose and presented it to the princess.
Here is born the tradition of giving the ladies a red rose on Sant Jordi’s Day. In principle, men were given a book and women a flower. Now, one or the other can be given indistinctly, or both together, regardless of gender to men and women.