This is why much of the Campo was closed yesterday

At La Atunara, La Línea
(Photo: lalineadigital/Marcos Moreno)

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR Yesterday was a special saint's day: La Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of fishermen, sailors and the Spanish Armada, and thus much venerated on the entire coastline of Spain, though mainly in the south. Originally honoured as Our Lady of Mount Carmel (in Israel, and the origin of the name Carmen), her image is paraded throughout the streets and in the water of most of the towns and villages with maritime traditions. It is an official local holiday in most if not all these places.

Los Barrios is closed tomorrow

LOS BARRIOS Well, not exactly. It just happens to be the municipality's Patron Saint Day, in honour of San Isidro Labrador. This means that all municipal offices and a lot more besides, are closed. So don't plan to do any shopping at the likes of Carrefour, Mercadona, Decathlon, MediaMarkt, etc. etc. in the Palmones area shopping centres, including all those little shops behind the larger ones. Chances are the cinemas will be open but very little else. This, of course, does not apply to other places outside the municipality.

What is it about St. Peter and St. Paul?

Bet you haven't even noticed. Check it out: any midges around? Probably not, as San Pedro (Peter to his mates) had his Day on the 29th, last Wednesday. We told you about it here. His friend San Pablo had his Day that day, too. Indeed the Day in Spain is known as San Pedro y San Pablo - very together, they are. Between them, they manage to get rid of the midges year after year. We should be grateful, and probably are once we stop itching a couple of days later. We're not very up on our Saints here, admittedly, but we'd love to hear from you, Dear Reader, if you know why their Day is the same. There must be some biblical connection, we're guessing. (And, of course, this is why San Pablo de Buceite has its feria this weekend - anyone know why San Pedro de Alcántara doesn't?)

Cleaners' patron saint day, so no street cleaning today

Saint Martin of Porras (image), the Dominican monk who became patron saint of cleaners has his day today and we can't help notice an article in EuropaSur that announces that the streets of San Roque will not be cleaned for that reason. Nor can we can't help wondering whether other towns and villages will be cancelling street cleaning - and then we remember that, as always, religion is more than tinged with politics: San Roque (with its own saint, indeed) is run by the PP and by Mayor Fernando Palma, a staunch Catholic. Not so other municipalities that are either in political or financial chaos and may have not taken into account the celebrations for St Martin of Porras. In fact, several saints have their day each day in the Catholic calendar, though not all are patron saints of anything; today's include Saint Sylvia of Constantinople, St Winfred of Wales, St Sylvia, Mother of St. Gregory Magnus and St, Malachy of Armagh, among others. In Spain it used to be the custom to name a child for the saint of its birth day though it has now come into disuse at least among most of the population. Anyway, we won't be doing much cleaning around here today either.