The economical sustenance of the festivals is different from one to another. San Sebastián has got some "mayordomos" (foremen) who pay the expenses for its annual maintenance, on the other hand, the "Fiestas de Moros y Cristianos" are supported by two means: 1.- The "Hermandad de Moros y Cristianos", who perform the play with their own effort, tenacity and in a very generous way. 2.- The "Insignias" (banners).

There are three "Insignias": El Pincho, La Alabarda and La Bandera. These banners are carried by Quéntar citizens and this implies supporting the expenses of the festival . They take part in the Función de Moros y Cristianos. Although they do not talk in the play, their performance is important as they represent the people of Quéntar.

As a rule, El Pincho and La Albarda are carried by children and La Bandera is carried by an older person. The reason is clear:

El Pincho (It is the Captain of the festival) is a long wooden stick of 2 cm diameter and 2 m long. It is decorated with flowers, coloured ribbons in one of its ends and crowned with a metal tip.

La Alabarda is approximately 1 m long and it is completely decorated with flowers and crowned with a tip. It has got a trident in its base to hold it and it is carried on a shoulder as a shotgun.

La Bandera is approximately 1 m long. Its extended flag has a surface of approximately 3 sq. meters. It is dark red, made of a damask fabric with two stripes that cross its center, which has the face of San Sebastián. Its end is decorated with flowers and coloured ribbons. Its main task is to be whirled. This tasks consists of twirling the flag, that is to say: wrapping and unwrapping the flag around its mast. People need strength and handiness in order to do this practice well.

There are other participants in this Quéntar festival: the "trabuqueros" or "tiraores". They embellish the party year by year with their resounding gunshots.

We do not know for sure the reason for their performance in the festivals and in San Sebastian Procession. I personally think that it may be due to one of these two reasons:

1.- When the performances began, they were included in the festivals to embellish them with sound and smoke.

2.- They might have been included because San Sebastian was a warrior saint.

Independently from the main reasons of their inclusion in the festivals, these citizens sacrifice their ears (and ours) on behalf of the beauty of the performance. Their apparel consists of a hat decorated with flowers, an orange bodice which is tied up on both sides of their waist with cloured ribbons, their blunderbuss and their gunpowder hip flask. In order to identify the side to which the "trabuqueros" belong, we have to notice the edge of their bodice. If it is brown, they belong to the Moors and if it is dark red, they belong to the Christians.

The apparel of the Moors and the Christians has changed throughout history. Before 1973 the Christians were dressed in miltary clothings of that period. Later in time, these clothings have been more accurately adapted to the real historical period when the performed events occured.

Some weeks before the "Fiestas de Moros y Cristianos", the "trabuqueros" get together in order to test their blunderbusses. This ceremony can be considered as the beginning of the festivities. During those weeks, the whole town cares about the preparations so the Festival shows up wonderfully.

The following important ceremony is held at the Festival weekend, on Friday noon. The person who owns "La Bandera" shows it out from his house balcony and then the "tiraores" shoot a salvo while the church bells are pealed.

The "Función de Moros y Cristianos" is divided into three acts which are held on Saturday and Sunday. The performance begins on Saturday at around 4:30 pm. In this first act, the Christian troops own the castle, the town and the "insignias". Throughout the evening, the Moors troops appear. After several battles, they take the castle, the town, San Sebastián and the "insignias". At the end of the evening, they capture the king and the Christian General.

The beginning of the second act is held on Sunday morning at around 11 am. Previously, the Moors troops, the Christian prisoners, the Moor "trabuqueros" and half the band had gone up to the Cerrillo de los Almireses. This happens at around 8 am. In that place, they keep watch over the firearms which will be used in the battle that will take place when they go back to town, apart from twirling the Moor and Christian flags. The "chascarrillos" (popular funny stories) are written here. The "chascarrillos" are satires about all that happened in Quéntar during the previous year.

When they come back to town they make a lot of noise because as the Moors come near the "Era del Castillo", they fire their arms and the Christians answer firing theirs. The entrance in the "Era" is produced among a great cloud of smoke. Then, the Christian King and General show up tied up with ropes while both troops fight a battle. The fight ends with the redemption of the Christian King and General, although the Moors keep being the owners of the "insignias", the town and the Patron, San Sebastián.

After that, the lancers make their procession. This scene is performed by both lancers: the Moor and the Christian. Both lancers start a conversation and when they finish talking, the Moor lancer moves to the Christian troop, though only figuratively.

The morning act ends with the "popular chascarrillos", which are said by the components of the "Hermandad" and the "trabuqueros".

The third and final act of the "Función de Moros y Cristianos" starts at around 4:30 pm (the timetable may vary during the festivals).

There is a very emotive passage during this act. It is the most prepared and the most expected by the people who is watching the play: it is the praying of the "Salve", which is said by the Christian General before fighting against the Moors in the castle.

Afterwards, the Moors offer releasing San Sebastián if they are paid a ransom. Some missionaries are sent to fulfill this task. When these characters show up, their dialogues and dramatization cause laughter among the audience.

The play ends with the baptism and conversion of the Moors troops. Each Moor is accompanied by a Christian in the moment of his baptism, in which the Moor makes a faith demonstration with his words.

The baptism is celebrated in the middle of the "Era". They use a font full of holy water, some years prepared with gunpowder and others with yellow spices.

The Festival finishes when the chief of the "trabuqueros" names the "insignias" for the following year, the new owners receive them and they are tossed in a blanket by some members of the "Hermandad".

The festivals in San Sebastián's honour (January, 19 and 20)

On the 19th, when it is getting dark, San Sebastián is moved from his hermitage to the Encarnación Church, carried on his foremen's shoulders. In his honour, pyrotechnic wheels are lit in the "Era de San Sebastián", in the church and in private homes as the Patron passes by. The Patron is escorted by the "trabuqueros", who embellish the way with noisy shots from their weapons.

On the 20th in the morning, after the mass, the Patron is carried back from the Encarnación Church to his hermitage in the same way as the previous night. There are no pyrotechnic wheels now.

Día de la Cruz (The Cross Day)(May, 3)

For this party, several districts are embellished with decorated crosses. You can find beautifully adorned crosses in the Plaza del Pueblo (Central Square), in Santa Ana street, in Pavesas quarter and in the Callejón de las Campanas.

Corpus Christi Day

Traditionally, this party was celebrated on Thursday but nowadays it has been moved to Sunday. There is a very solemn procession in which the town's priest carries the Monstrance (Ostensorium) along the streets. Some people build altars on which the priest lays the Monstrance and says a prayer.

Pilgrimage to the Fuente de los Morales (End of June)

This is the newest festival in Quéntar. It was held fifteen years ago for the first time. "Nuestra Señora de la Alegría" (Our Lady of Happiness) is shoulderd from the town up to the Fuente de los Morales.

We wish to thank Miguel for the information.

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