4th/5th/6th January. Three Kings/ Reis/ Twelfth Night/ Epiphany!

clare-allcard4th/5th/6th January. Three Kings/ Reis/ Twelfth Night/ Epiphany!

Standby! Gab your woolly hats and gloves! The forecast is for a clear and sparkling night – but a bit chilly! The Three Kings/Wise Men/Kings of the Orient or, as the Andorran’s call them, Els Reis are coming to town. Yes. To every town. They will arrive in full splendour on the evening of the 5 th of January in memory of those legendary Magi who
came to Bethlehem 2016 years ago bearing gifts of Gold and Frankincense and Myrrh to present to the infant Jesus.

Long before Andorra’s children had heard of Father Christmas they were cannily delivering their requests to the Pages of those generous Three Kings. And this year, too, on Wednesday 4th , the Royal Pages, or sometimes Royal Postmen, will be visiting Andorra’s seven parishes to collect the children’s letters addressed to Their Majesties, some already posted in huge designated letter boxes others handed over in person in the streets.

These letters greet the Kings very respectfully, asking after their health. The children tell the Reis how good they, the children, have been over the past year and how good they promise to be over the year to come. Then, finally, comes a list of the presents they would like to be given. If, in fact, a child has been naughty Els Reis reserve the right to give them a lump of coal instead – though in these indulgent days that, too, can be made of sugar.

On the following evening, the 5 th January, comes the climax of the children’s dreams. Seven trios of Kings, or Reis, will ride into seven respective towns, clad in regal finery: gold crowns, velvet cloaks, flowing locks and splendid false beards. They progress down the main streets of Andorra La Vella, Escaldes and Encamp on theme decorated floats, sometimes, for some mysterious reason, accompanied by elves or goblins. In La Massana the men of the Orient usually arrive in a clattering horseback cavalcade whilst Pas de la Casa transports their Reis aboard 4x4s! The public throng the streets. Small children rush forward to scoop up the literally thousands of kilos of sweets that the Kings throw to the crowd.

When they arrive back home the children will place a glass of milk or maybe liquor on the windowsill for the Kings and a bowl of water for their camels and, beside them, shoes. Next morning those same children will find that, in the silence of the night, the Kings, bearing gifts, have visited them.

There’s also a Tortell de Reis or a ring-shaped Three Kings’ Cake (most festivals worth their salt in Andorra have a distinctive cake.) This one is decorated with green and red crystalised fruits, filled with marzipan or custard and topped off by a golden paper crown. Each cake is baked complete with a tiny china figurine of a Rei and also a dried
fava bean hidden inside. Win the Rei and you’re king for the day and get to wear the crown. End up with the bean you are said to have good luck – but you are also subject to a forfeit, perhaps paying for the cake or even the dinner – and possibly with a broken tooth thrown in.

So when and where can you watch these spectacles

THE FESTIVAL OF THREE KINGS/TWELFTH NIGHT/EPIPHANY THE ARRIVAL OF THE PAGES TO COLLECT THE CHILDREN’S LETTERS.

Monday, 2nd January at 18h in the Tourist Office, Plaça de les Fontetes, La Massana. Until Wednesday, 4th January in the lobby of the Centre Cultural de Sant Julià de Lòria: Wednesday, 4th January starting at 18h in the streets of Andorra La Vella. Thursday, 5th January from 12h in the streets of Andorra la Vella when The Royal Postman will collectchildren’s letters from the crowd.

THE ARRIVAL OF THEIR MAJESTIES, THE KINGS OF THE ORIENT Thursday, 5th January from 17h a horse-led procession through the streets of La Massana ending in the Plaça de les Fontetes when The Kings will receive all the
children from the parish and find out if they have been good or not.

At 18h starting from Ed Perecaus through the streets of Canillo ending up at the Palau de Gel when Their Majesties will receive the children. At 18h in front of the Casa Comuna, Sant Julià de Lòria. Adoration of the Infant Jesus by
The Magi and then through the streets of the parish to collect the letters at the Centre Cultural.

From 18h on floats through the streets of Encamp ending at the Plaça dels Arinsols. A parade when the youngest in the parish wait with cold cheeks but shining eyes for the arrival of Their Majesties the Magi of the Orient with their following of pages and elves.

The Kings will cross-examine the children to see if they have been good and will distribute presents and sweets – but also may present coal to the naughtiest! 18h from Escaldes-Engordany to Andorra-la Vella Starting in the Plaça Dos Valires of Escaldes-Engordany and ending up at about 20.30 at the Plaça del Poble in Andorra la Vella. This is the granddaddy of them all! Some 600 people take part in the cavalcade of around 20 floats with some 7,000 kg (sic) of sweets being thrown to the crowds (including ones suitable for celiacs.) They will travel the following route: Carrer Esteve Albert, Josep Viladomat, that of les Escoles, Av. Carlemany, Av. Meritxell, Plaça Rebés, Plaça Princep Benlloch and finally Plaça del Poble where hundreds of people will welcome the Wise Men of the East. 7pm at Pas de la Casa. Begins with a torchlight descent of the Directa ski slope before The Kings drive through the streets to the Sports Centre in 4x4s.

MUSIC

Tuesday 3rd January at 21h at the Church of Sant Esteve, Andorra la Vella. (Free) A Lyrical Recital by Andrés Jiménez. Andrés Jiménez, (bass) was born in Bogota, Colombia where he studied opera and chamber music on a scholarship from the Teatro Colon of Bogota. Later he moved to Europe to perfect his singing. He has performed at
prestigious venues in Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Latin America. His repertoire includes works from Monteverdi’s La Favola d’Orfeo, Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Magnificat as well as a wide range of Latin American composers and masters of European lieder tradition, such as Brahms, Schubert, Donaudy, Tosti, Poulenc, Satie and Faure.

THEATRE

Friday 6th and Saturday, 7th January, 2017 at 18h at the Centre Cultural, Sant Julià de Lòria. (10€ from morabanc) Andorra’s 23rd consecutive edition of the ever popular, Els Pastorets (The Shepherd Boys). This year’s version is again that written by Josep Maria Folch i Torres in 1916 and is directed by Alfons Casal and Joan Hernàndez. Els Pastorets is a very traditional Catalan entertainment, indeed it dates back to the Middle Ages, a cross between a comic pantomime and a dramatic nativity play. Lots of jokes, slap stick and laughter set around two shepherd boys trying to get to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus. But their journey is beset on all sides by colourful,snarling devils, bubbling cauldrons and lots of smoke, all orchestrated by the fiendish Lucifer as he tries to stop the boys and always, at the most perilous moment, the situation is saved, ‘Duduh!’, by Angel Gabriel who appears on high flourishing a sword of righteousness! Els Pastorets is well acted by local amateur actors guided by professional directors. Children love it – and so do I! The first time I went I didn’t understand a word but still found things to laugh at.

CINEMA

Monday 2nd to Thursday, 5th January at 20h at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes -Engordany. Retour Chez Ma Mère. (A Comedy in French) Directed by Eric Lavaine and starring: Josiane Balasko, Alexandra Lamy, Mathilde Seigner. Having lost everything in the bankruptcy of her architectural firm, Stephanie has no choice but to return to live with her mother, Jacqueline, in the south of France. As she looks for a job to regain control of her life, she is forced to deal with the little habits of her mother, who has lived alone since the death of Stephanie’s father the previous year. A family dinner with her sister Carole and brother Nicolas reveals the secrets each one is hiding…

Monday 2nd to Thursday, 5 th January at 18h at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes – Engordany. Passengers Directed by Morten Tyldum. Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen. Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt star in an exciting action-thriller about two passengers who are on a 120-year journey to another planet when their hibernation pods wake them 90 years too early. Jim and Aurora are forced to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction as the ship teeters on the brink of collapse, with the lives of thousands of passengers in jeopardy. (1h 56m. Sci-fi Adventure, drama Romance).

Wishing you all a very happy, prosperous and adventurous 2017

Culturally yours

Clare

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If you want to learn more in depth about Andorra try reading “Andorra Revealed”.

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Look for about the author of the blog Clare Allcard

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Look here for the whole blog “Cultural events in Andorra with Clare Allcard”

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