Corpus Cristi

Yesterday our neighbour who lives opposite came to ask us for a branch from the grape vine with a bunch of grapes.
I remembered that the town's Corpus Cristi procession was imminent and presumed rightly that the pea sized grapes and greenery were for one of the shrines that are set up along the route round Alora. Our street is not on the itinerary this year (what have we done?).
Before coming to Alora 'Corpus Christi' was a primary school  in Oldham. I believe it still is. We knew that it was a Catholic school because they had more holidays than us.
In Spain it is one of the many religious festivals that we all enjoy because there is a procession. The weather is usually good but it's not a big day for the bars, unlike Semana Santa and the annual Romeria of the town's patron virgin, The Virgin of the Flowers.
Corpus Cristi is a big deal in Granada where they have a whole week of celebrations including a funfair. Sevilla goes to town as well; a big procession and churros (long thick deep fried doughnuts) for breakfast. In Barcelona they have the Dancing Egg. (not for breakfast).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfBH598sl0k

In Castrillo de Mucia (Burgos) they have the ´Baby Jumping Festival'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzJBpVVGcWw

Corpus Cristi is on Thursday, the sixtieth day after Easter. The Eucharist is paraded through the streets in a `sconce'. The body of Christ. They do it on Sunday here.

The thing about Corpus Cristi is that it was only invented in about 1246 and was intended by the pope to chivvy up the locals who were losing a bit of the enthusiasm of Easter. Later the festival was used to remind believers of the victory of Catholicism over heresy. Doubters were advised to stay indoors (particularly in Castrillo de Murcia it would appear).