Sexenni

Once every six years, Morella fulfills its commitment to its ancestors. Tradition explains that in 1672, a Virgin, known as Mare de Déu de Vallivana, released the town from a severe plague. In gratitude, the agreed to make a Novena in her honour once every six years.

The Sexenni stands out for its magnificence and uniqueness. The streets are embellished with buildings made with curly paper, which makes Morella into a real living museum. It is the climax of the town every six years and, definitely, it is a must.

The town preserves its structure based on gremis, or guilds, and every day of the Novena is organised by one of the gremis in the city. Indeed, in each of these days it is held a procession, known as retaule, in which the different dances from these gremis can be seen with their original steps and their medieval clothes, offering cultural and traditional examples of great value. Els Torneros, Les Gitanetes, Els Llauradors, Arts i Oficis, La Corronquina, and Els Teixidors are the peculiar dances, marching on the street along with representations of El Carro Triomfant, a unique structure filled with children dressed as angels, and El Quadre d’Heroïnes Bíbliques, ladies dressed like biblical heroines, who headed by the Queen Esther. In addition, during the course of the retaule, both visitors and locals can enjoy the Convents, where boys and girls dressed as priests and nuns sing songs with the passage of the processions.

The next Sexenni is to be held on August 2018.