SPAIN-MOSS MEN The Moss Men of Bejar join traditional Spanish procession

Record ID: 150453

  • Title: SPAIN-MOSS MEN The Moss Men of Bejar join traditional Spanish procession
  • Date: 7th June 2015
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF MOSS MEN IN PROCESSION PROCESSION IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 22nd June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1DDPQ6YVS8B75YD2A1C4S090B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Moss Men of Bejar on took part in the traditional Corpus Christi procession on Sunday (June 7) commemorating, as legend says, the Christians who camouflaged themselves with moss to re-conquer the Spanish town from Muslims in the year 1200.
    The 750 year-old tradition is part of the annual Corpus Christi parade, the town's most solemn religious festival.
    Bejar is in the province of Salamanca in western Spain.
    Legend says Christians used moss as camouflage to enter the fortress town through "Traitor's Gate" and when their adversaries saw them they became frightened and fled thinking they were strange animals.
    "This dates back to when the Arabs held the town. Legend says that some Bejar locals dressed in moss and came in through one of the town entrances. When the arabs saw them they thought they were animals and got scared and fled," moss man, Isaac White, said.
    The moss men and woman see the opportunity to represent the Christian heroes as an honour.
    "It's a day of pride and satisfaction, a day of happiness, to be participating in a tradition from long ago. You see your family and friends in Bejar so it's exciting," moss man Juan Martin Gomez said.
    Recently women have been allowed to participate in the moss clad army, too.
    "I feel great satisfaction because I am following a tradition and I see my dream coming true," said one female participant, Rosa Maria Lino.
    Moss Men became part of the Corpus Christi procession in 1397 and it is no easy task carrying the extra weight of the moss around in the Spanish heat as it can ass between 10 and 12 kilos to a person's weight.
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