natalia
i jordi

Sant Jordi is the Catalan name for Saint George, the patron saint of Catalonia (and of England too, so some of you may feel right at home). The story goes that a fearsome dragon terrorised a town, demanding a sacrifice every day. When the lot fell on the king's daughter, a knight named George rode in and slew the beast. From the dragon's blood a rose bush sprang up, and George picked a red rose for the princess. In Catalonia, the town is said to be Montblanc.

Giving roses on 23 April is a custom that goes back centuries; Barcelona held a rose fair in the Middle Ages. Books joined in 1923, when local booksellers chose the date to celebrate literature, linked to the deaths of Cervantes and Shakespeare in 1616. UNESCO later made 23 April World Book Day, inspired by this Catalan tradition.

The custom today: you give a rose to someone you love and you get a book in return. These days it works both ways, for partners, friends, family and colleagues. The rose is usually wrapped with a sprig of wheat and a ribbon in the red and yellow of the Catalan flag.

It is not an official public holiday, but you would not know it from the streets. Stalls selling roses and books fill La Rambla, Passeig de Gràcia and Plaça de Catalunya, authors sign their books for queues of readers, and families stroll all day with a rose in hand. Plaça Sant Jaume, in front of the city hall and the Palau de la Generalitat (the seat of the Catalan government), becomes a festive gathering place. The Palau is traditionally open to visitors, and Gaudí's Casa Batlló, whose roof is said to resemble the dragon's back, joins in the celebration.

Photo of Plaça Sant Jaume: Francis Lenn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Sant Jordi falls on Friday 23 April 2027, the day before the wedding. If you are arriving in Barcelona that day, expect the city centre to be at its liveliest and busiest: book your hotel early, and pick up a rose and a book to join in. And a fun fact: Jordi is Catalan for George, so 23 April is also our groom's name day.