Descent of the Fallas: Fia-Faia in Bagà and Sant Julià de Cerdanyola Christmas Time, Popular festivals and traditions
12/24/2024

The areas of the Pre-Pyrenees and the Pyrenees hold a festival of fire in summer which has been declared as intangible UNESCO cultural Heritage. It involves local people descending with large burning torches (fallas) from the top of the mountain to the village at nightfall. A tradition with rural origins, this ritual is associated with the purification of the fields and woods in order to protect them from evil spirits. This festival has become a magic and light-filled event with mystical connotations featuring a primal light procession. The handmade torches are prepared by people in the village and some can weigh as much as 20 kilograms. Two towns in the area also celebrate this festival on Christmas Eve: Bagà and Sant Julià de Cerdanyola, and on this occasion the tradition is called "Fia-Faia"..