“El Miracle” is the most iconic event of Calp’s Moors and Christians festivities. Every October, it draws thousands of people to the Plaza Mayor to experience a blend of history, devotion, and collective emotion. More than just a theatrical play, it serves as a shared memory that the town preserves and passes down from generation to generation, making both locals and visitors part of the same narrative.
The performance commemorates the events of October 22, 1744, when seven Barbary galleys attacked the town, which at the time had few defensive resources. Tradition identifies Moncófar as the symbol of betrayal for facilitating the enemy’s entry, and Caragol as the hero who managed to close the Portalet gate with the miraculous help of the Santísimo Cristo de la Suor, thereby saving Calp. This “miracle” remains the founding story and the identity core of the festival.
Although the historical event is centuries old, its modern era began in 1976 with the creation of the festival association and the scripted dialogue that structures the act. The night of El Miracle follows a strictly defined ritual: silence, intense dialogue, harquebuses, and the climactic moment when the Portalet is closed and the castle lights up with the image of Christ. For this reason, it is experienced as “festive DNA”, a symbol that unites the entire community, gains tourism prominence, and reinforces the idea that in Calp, history is not just remembered: it is lived.