"SANT JORDI" ROSES AND BOOKS AS SYMBOL OF LOVE by Barrufet school
In Spain, the 23rd of April is "The Book Day" (commemorating the death of Miguel de Cervantes) the most famous Spanish writer. In Catalonia (where we live) this day is a very special feast too: "Sant Jordi" (Saint George" in English) We live in Catalonia, ( a beautiful autonomous community in the northeastern corner of Spain. Its capital is the city of Barcelona ) . Catalonia is big and very populated. We speak two languages, Spanish and our own language, Catalan. The 23rd April, the day of Sant Jordi, the patron saint of Catalonia, is the day of the rose and the book, the day of love and culture. The tradition of giving a rose as a symbol of love on the day of Sant Jordi, dates back to the 15th century. This day is celebrated in all Catalonia giving roses to those you love (mothers, wives, daughters,teachers...) and books (fathers, husbands, sons...). Everybody buys books this day and at school we read the legend of "Sant Jordi" or we represent it, we do crafts (roses, bookmarks...)( the knight sant jordi kills a dragon to save the princess, and from the spilled blood a rose is born). And at the end of April we celebrate "Jocs Florals" (the poetry day and a very big school contest) too, so we make it coincide with that day...We have been very busy this week writing poems. Soon Here you will read our winning poems.