The lack of rain and the drought situation that Catalonia is experiencing has meant that several towns have recovered processions that invoke this meteorological phenomenon, such as Peralada. The population usually takes the Sant Crist Negre to the streets for the procession of Dolors, coinciding with Holy Week, but, at least, it had been 80 years since this ceremony to ask for water had been held.
The origin of this image that is venerated in the parish church of the municipality dates back to 975 and is recorded in a legend written on a parchment guarded by the Augustinian nuns who formerly lived in the municipality and which was transmitted orally from father to son.
Legend has it that on December 17 of that year, a neighbor who was going to work found a cart pulled by an animal without anyone to guide it on the outskirts of town and suddenly stopped in front of him. The man was surprised and looked at what he was carrying. Then he saw the image of a Sant Crist.
Throughout history, the image has gone out in procession on various occasions to ask for help in cases of disasters and to ask for favorable meteorological and agricultural phenomena. In fact, the first procession took place only a few years after the meeting, in 987.
In an episode of drought, the Christ was taken out and it rained “the first nightâ€. Later, the same procedure was repeated in 1006, 1054, 1285, 1411, 1553, 1671, 1693, 1727 and 1816, according to the documentation.
What is not known is when was the last time that the Sant Crist Negre went out in procession, but, at least, it had not done so since the 1980s. “We thought it was in the 30s or 40s,” explains Bigas. But in fact, there is no one left in the village who remembers him. And since there are no direct testimonies left, the organizers have had to devise the route, which has passed through the historic center until reaching the cross. In total, 1.2 kilometers of travel that they have done accompanied by more than 200 people.
The act began shortly after 8:30 p.m. in the church of Sant Martà where the musen read a few words evoking the importance of water. Next, the carriers have taken the Sant Crist and have started the entourage, which has made a first stop at the church of El Carme. There the choir of the town has sung and the parishioners who have accompanied the procession have accompanied them with candles.
Bigas assures that it is an act of “faith” that if it does not work, they have not bothered anyone either. In fact, just an hour before the act and after weeks without seeing water, four drops have fallen.
The population and its immediate area is at an exceptional level, which requires restrictions because they depend on the water from the Fluvià -Muga course. The surrounding populations are at alert levels and depend on either water or rain or the Darnius and Boadella reservoir.
Bigas points out that, in addition to being an eminently agricultural municipality, many populations depend directly on Peralada’s water. “If that is not fixed, I don’t know what will happen,” he warns.
The case of Peralada is not exceptional. A few weeks ago, the monks of Montserrat prayed to invoke the rain and made offerings in La Moreneta. In Perpinyà , in mid-March, there was a procession to ask Sant Galdric to end the drought and the Bishop of Solsona presided over a mass at the end of March in Espunyola for the same purpose.
