Morella ready for the renewed Corpus Christi festival

• The chapter, the parish, and the city council reached an agreement to change the dates and increase the involvement of local residents in this tradition

• La Degolla will take to the streets on Friday afternoon, and the procession will begin on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

• Mass will be held on Saturday morning, featuring music sung by the Benicarló Gregorian choir and live music

• On the night of Saturday, June 6, there will be live music by the group La pop era, as well as performances by DJ Moonty and DJ Alenn at the Espai Firal starting at 11:00 PM

• Morella’s Corpus Christi dates back to 1358 and features over 150 biblical elements, so it requires significant participation

Morella is now ready to host one of its oldest traditions, Corpus Christi. This year features a revamped festival with changes to the program to encourage participation from residents and promote it as a tourist attraction. Thus, the main changes affect the main procession, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The La Degolla parade has also been moved to a different day and will take to the streets at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Finally, a festive evening program has been added at the Espai Firal, featuring live musical performances by DJ Moonty, the group La Pop Era, and DJ Alenn.

The Corpus Christi procession in Morella is one of the oldest in the town and features more than 150 biblical elements. Consequently, the Morella City Council has reached an agreement with the chapter and the parish to move the celebration to Saturday, June 6.

The Councilor for Festivals and Traditions, Javier Amela, noted that "the Corpus Christi program in Morella has been expanded and modified slightly compared to recent years to encourage participation and attract more visitors over the weekend" and added that "traditionally, Corpus Christi is on Thursday; for years now, the procession has taken place on Sunday afternoon, and now it will be held on Saturday to make it easier for people to attend." The councilman explained that "we want to try this option and showcase it with pride, as it is one of the oldest and most important festivals in the Valencian Community," and noted that "on Saturday, both Morella residents living elsewhere and visitors coming to spend the weekend will be able to enjoy it." Finally, he noted that "looking ahead to next year, we want to involve the associations even more so that the festival can shine in all its splendor."

The Corpus Christi festival in Morella dates back to 1358 and is one of the oldest in the Valencian Community. It began three years after the one in Valencia. The celebration originated as an educational way to teach the Bible and introduce the characters featured in it. As a result, Morella adopted the structure and characteristic elements of Valencia, and the vast majority of the floats parading today are still originals from that era.

• Corpus Christi Program in Morella

The ringing of bells will announce the start of the Corpus Christi weekend, which kicks off on Friday, June 5, with the La Degolla procession at 6:30 p.m., followed by the eve of Corpus Christi. The Morella Bagpipers, along with the giants and big-heads, will perform a parade at 8:00 p.m. Finally, the Mestre Candel Music Association will give a concert at the Municipal Theater at 10:30 p.m., followed by an open-air concert.

Saturday, June 6, will begin with a parade by the Gaiteros de Morella at 10:00 a.m. At 11:30 a.m., the bells will ring. The solemn sung Mass with live music will be at 12:00 p.m. in the Archpriestal Basilica, followed by a procession upon its conclusion. In the afternoon, the procession up through the town will begin at 6:30 p.m., departing from City Hall. At 6:30 p.m., the solemn and traditional Corpus Christi procession will take place. Following this, the procession will descend through the town. Starting at 11:00 p.m., there will be a party at the Espai Firal featuring musical performances by DJ Moonty, La Pop Era, and DJ Alenn.

On Sunday, June 7, Mass will be celebrated at the Archpriestal Basilica at 11:30 a.m., and the AMMC will hold a parade at 1:00 p.m.