“El Miracle” is the event that most clearly sets Calp apart within the Moors and Christians celebrations and best captures the town’s identity. Every October, the whole community pauses for a reenactment that is more than entertainment: it is shared memory, collective pride, and the emotional core of a festival that is now nearing fifty years in its modern form.
Its origins lie in a documented historical episode on 22 October 1744, when seven Barbary galleys attacked Calp’s coastline. Tradition says that after Moncófar’s betrayal, a young local man, Caragol, managed to shut the Portalet gate through the miraculous intervention of the Santíssim Crist de la Suor, preventing the town from falling. The story became a lasting symbol of resistance, faith, and local identity.
In 1976, locals shaped the modern celebration by founding the Moors and Christians association and establishing “El Miracle” as the central act in the main square. What makes it unique is its historical basis, its Calp-specific characters, and the full participation of residents, culminating in the closing of the Portalet and the castle being lit with the Christ’s image. Over time it has evolved with technical improvements without losing authenticity, remaining the moment that connects generations and defines Calp’s difference.
http://elplural.com/vivir/miracle-orgullo-pueblo-guarda-viva-historia-bc-nmrs_364804102