The Board of Festes de Moros i Cristians de Xàbia, by consensus with the Department of Festivities, has decided to cancel the festivities in honor of Sant Jaume scheduled for July 11 to 19 this year.
After a meeting held electronically with representatives of each of the different ranks, the Board has decided that the party should act responsibly in the face of the health emergency of COVID-19 and the economic crisis derived from the current paralysis situation of practically all the sectors.
This decision is motivated according to the plausible measures that the Government of Spain will adopt and with the information that the UNDEF (National Union of Festival Entities) has as a body that protects the groups that celebrate Moros i Cristians, which they do not consider viable, during the months of July and August; the celebration of massive acts that provoke the agglomeration of great public masses around them.
This is a precautionary measure that is in addition to those that are currently being carried out with the aim of mitigating the effects of the pandemic and a possible outbreak of infections.
The Junta de Festes has also weighed moving the festivities to the months of October or November. However, the entity considers that it is an option that would suppose a patch that would reduce the celebration to two or three days, assuming an investment and a notable effort on the part of the festivities that does not guarantee the brilliance of the party and that is a risk given the instability of the weather during these months. In addition, the festival of Moors and Christians is one of the great tourist attractions of the municipality during the summer season and an incentive for the hotel industry and local commerce, for which it is confirmed; its necessary celebration in the month of July.
On the other hand, the members who make up the Moors and Christians festival in Xàbia make a great personal financial effort in order to pay for it. Also, they do it in search of collaborators who are involved in its development and achievement. The economic crisis, at all levels, that is generating the health emergency; It forces them to be responsible and consistent and not demand from the filaes or the establishments that show their disinterested help, more than they can contribute. The Festival Board understands that festive celebrations are not a priority at this time.
Another of the agreements adopted by the Board concerns the maximum representatives of this year's festivals, the Standard Bearers Mora and Cristiana, Lucía Llidó Vallés and Carla Llidó Bertolín and the Captaincy 2020 of the filà Ballesters and its Captains Florencio Mata Crespo and Rosa Catalá Torres. All the filaes consider that, out of respect and valuing the importance of their festive positions, they continue in force until the festivities of 2021 in order that they can exercise their function with dignity and shine with all the majesty that characterizes them. Thus, the Board officially announces the faces of its parties for next year.
Finally, and depending on how the situation evolves, it is proposed to celebrate a festive day in the last months of the year in order to keep alive the illusion of the great festival that is the Moors and Christians of Xàbia.
