A Fiesta of Near-Death Experiences
The Procession of the Nearly Dead of Santa Marta de Ribarteme
This week, we head once again to Galicia, land of the most baffling and bizarre festivals in all of Spain. Their fiestas steeped in ritual and tradition are as unique as their landscapes of primordial ancient forests, and their pre-Christian history of Celtic legends and superstitions. They have helped to create the image we have today of a region shrouded in mystery - a land of witches, ghosts, and mythological beings.
Galicia is a region that revels in other worldly affairs, that breathes the souls of ancestors and the spirits that dwell just beyond our perceptions. They jump fires on the night of San Juan in a triumph of light over darkness, dancing on Death’s doorstep. They concoct herbal remedies to help ward off evil spirits, and wear amulets that protect them from bad luck. They sidestep the santa compania – a procession of deathly ghouls out to capture your soul, and imbibe the alchemical potions of the fiery queimada. It is a land of magic that reveres the fine line between life and death.
Even their stunning northern coastline is famous for the lives it has claimed from shipwrecks and the souls of the percebeiros (barnacle collectors) who hang precariously off the wind and waveswept cliffs along the Costa da Morte (Death Coast).
So, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise to learn of the morbid fiesta of Saint Martha of Ribarteme celebrated every 29th July in As Neves, Pontevedra. This curiosity is held in honour of Martha, sister of Lazareth whom Jesus is said to have raised from the dead 2000 years ago. She is also the one responsible for saving the townsfolk of Villajoyosa from the invading Moors.
The saint’s feast day is an opportune time to thank Martha for her divine intervention in granting you a second chance after that near death moment experienced this year. Whether you narrowly escaped being hit by a speeding car, having a leg amputated, or are recovering from a serious illness, a pilgrimage to the tiny stone church of Ribarteme will increase the odds of it never happening again.
The unassuming village absorbs more than 4000 extra people each year, some who come for themselves or on behalf of a loved one, and many others are tourists eager for a glimpse of this macabre festival.
The grateful survivors gather at the church of Santa Marta de Ribarteme where they pay homage to the statue of the saint. Temporary altars are set up in tents outside for the hundreds who wish to participate in the Mass, and loudspeakers allow everyone to hear the morning services.
Around noon, the participants get comfortable in their coffins and are carried by friends and family up to the cemetery, then a tour around the town, before heading back to the church. The pilgrimage takes a couple of hours accompanied by the statue of St Martha, people bearing long candles on sticks, and mournful music, and the whole scene has a vibe of a funeral procession – but for the living.
Those who don’t wish to be carried in a coffin choose to walk on their knees, penitent-style. And though the event is an act of gratitude to the saint, the vibe is one of penitence, especially for the poor friends and relatives who have been given the job of pallbearers. There are many who argue (in true Galician spirit) that it’s not about death, but the luck of being alive. It’s a time to celebrate the living and remember the dead.
No one is sure of the origins of the festival but it’s likely to date back to the pre-Christians and given its Catholic features during the Middle Ages. Despite the efforts of a local priest to ban the practice because it propagates “a lot of superstition, a lot of witchcraft, a lot of nonsense”, the ceremony continues to grow in popularity.
After the ceremony, the mood livens as the living corpses and their entourage head to the food stalls for a beer, wine and some typical Galician fare. Octopuses boiling in caldrons are plucked out by expert hands and sliced into pieces and dressed with olive oil, paprika and rock salt. Grilled meat, empanadas, and all the other yummy goodies found in this region are enjoyed with the gusto of those who truly have come face to face with Death.