Calp will begin its program of events to celebrate the Moors and Christians festivities in honor of the Cristo del Sudor, Patron of the Town, organized by the Moors and Christians Association in collaboration with the City Council.
On Thursday, October 16, the program will kick off with the presentation of the Festival Book and the official presentation of the 2025 Moors and Christians Festival Town Crier (Pregonera), Inma Morató, the first female president of the Moors and Christians Association. This will be followed by a concert of festival music performed by the Unión Musical Calp-Ifach at the Casa de Cultura Auditorium. At the conclusion, the 1st Night of the “Cabos de Escuadra” will take place alongside the Unión Musical Calp-Ifach on Masnou Avenue.
On Friday the 17th at 1:00 PM, the ringing of bells and ordinance salutes are scheduled to announce the start of the festivities. In the evening at 6:30 PM, the “Entry of the Bands” (entrada de bandas) will take place, parading through various streets of the municipality. At 8:00 PM, the raising of the banners and the festival proclamation (pregón) will be held in the Plaza Mayor.
At the end of the banner-raising ceremony, all the “filaes” and the 2025 Festival Commission will parade to the Church to perform the Offering of Candles to the Patron. At 12:30 AM, the Moors and Christians will gather for a parade from Justicia Street to Plaza Constitución. And at 1:30 AM, the Christian Captaincy Ball will take place at the Filá Mozárabes de Ifach (Arco Iris Park).
On Saturday the 18th, events will begin at 9:30 AM with the diana (reveille) starting from Plaza del Mosquit. At 6:30 PM, the Grand Christian and Moorish Entry will begin from Benissa Street to Plaza Colón. The grand entry of Moors and Christians is one of the most emblematic events of the festivities; the parade of Moorish and Christian troops, which travels down the municipality’s main avenue, Gabriel Miró, until reaching Arenal Beach, gathers thousands of residents and attracts numerous visitors and tourists amazed by the spectacular and unique nature of the Calp parade. For the most representative figures—Captaincies, Flag Bearer, and Ensigns—it represents the culmination of an entire year of effort and work. Ballets, animals, music, and fire characterize the pageantry of the captaincies, which moves the audience.
This will be the great moment for the 2025 Moorish and Christian Captains, Adrián Romero of the Filà Tuareg and Ángel García of the Filà Mozárabes, accompanied by the favorita (favorite), Fini Ortiz, and the First Lady, Estefanía Moll. Another relevant role is that of the Flag Bearer of the Moors and Christians Association, which this year falls to Celia González Jorro of the Berberiscos, and the Christian and Moorish Ensigns (alféreces), Marc Císcar of Marins Corsaris and Marc Sala of Berberiscos.
On Sunday the 19th at 11:00 AM, the Landing and First Battle will be held at Arenal-Bol Beach. This event represents the arrival of the Muslim hordes at Arenal Beach. The boats of the Moorish “filaes” depart from the fishing port to reach Arenal Beach, where they begin to disembark to start the battle. The roar of arquebuses fills the air. The Moorish troops win the first battle and ascend Gabriel Miró Avenue to the Plaza Mayor, while the Christian troops retreat to wait for the second battle.
Later in the afternoon, at 7:00 PM, the Children’s Parade is scheduled—undoubtedly one of the most charming events of the program where the little ones take center stage. At night, the Moorish Captaincy Ball will be held at the Filá Tuareg (Carrer de Fora).
On Tuesday, October 21, the festival program resumes with the Parliament and Second Battle “El Miracle” (The Miracle) at 8:30 PM in the Plaza Mayor. “El Miracle” is the moving representation that makes the Calp festival unique. The children of Calp announce the arrival of the Muslim troops with the cry of “Foc en Ifac! Moros a la costa!” (Fire in Ifach! Moors on the coast!); the Christians retreat behind the wall, but no one expects the betrayal of Moncófar. This character, key to the performance, initiates a dialogue (parlamento) with the Christian ambassador. This passage of “The Miracle” is, without a doubt, one of the most emotional and remembered.
Moncófar betrays the people of Calp and surrenders to the Moorish ambassador to help the Saracens take the city. The battle of arquebuses makes the Plaza Mayor tremble, and when all seems lost, a small man, Caragol, manages to close the gates of the wall thanks to the intercession of the Patron, the Santíssim Crist de la Suor. The castle lights up with the image of Christ, and Moncófar falls at his feet. The representation is based, with several creative licenses, on the historical events of October 22, 1744, and is repeated every year, awakening the same emotion among the gathered neighbors. At night, the Association Flag Bearer’s Ball is scheduled at the Filá Berberiscos (Calle la Ermita).
On Wednesday the 22nd, the feast day of the Patron, the Santísimo Cristo del Sudor, the Solemn Field Mass in Honor of the Patron will be held at 12:00 PM in the Plaza Mayor. After the mass, a spectacular “mascletá” (firecracker show) is planned, followed by the transfer of the image of Christ back to the Church. In the afternoon, at 7:00 PM, the solemn procession through the streets of the old town will take place, and at the conclusion, a nocturnal mascletá will be fired in the Plaza Mayor.
The acts will conclude with a Memorial Mass for the deceased, which will be held on Thursday, October 23, at 7:30 PM in the Virgen de las Nieves Parish.