San Ginés Day in Spain

We affirm that the celebration of August fairs in many places in Spain began when cities recognized San Ginés as their patron and protector. There are documents that prove that in 1635 the festivities were already celebrated in honor of this Patron Saint.

Between 1886 and 1888 the Fairs were held on September 2, 3 and 4, for unknown reasons.

From 1889 to the present time, the Fairs and Festivals of the town have been celebrated again in honor of San Ginés de la Jara, being celebrated between August 22 and 26.

Ginés de la Jara is a real character, although there is a medieval Christian legend about him in the surroundings of Cartagena, the city of which he is co-patron saint.

Thus, popular stories speak of a hermit who settled by the Mar Menor in what are now the ruins of the monastery that bears his name in times before the Arab domination. It is said that he is of noble birth and even that his origin is in France. According to some theories, he is Ginés de Arlés, whose feast day is also celebrated on August 25, the date on which he died a martyr (medieval legend has it that, after his head was cut off, he himself threw it into the Rhone, which is why he is sometimes represented as a cephalophore).

In 1541, Pope Paul III recognized his sanctity and established religious services around the celebration of Saint Gines de la Jara on August 25.