Sacramental Auto and Three Kings Parade of Santillana del Mar
Twelfth Night turns the historic centre of Santillana del Mar into a large open-air stage. Before the arrival of Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar, a Sacramental Auto is represented through successive scenes, so that the public tours the town following the story from the Annunciation to the Adoration.
Usual date and duration
The festival is celebrated every year on 5 January. The Auto Sacramental begins in the late afternoon and takes approximately two and a half hours; Then comes the Parade, whose scenes extend the celebration for about two more hours. 5 January is not in itself a public holiday: that status depends on the applicable official calendar.
La villa como escenario
The streets and squares of the historic complex serve as royal decoration. Among the characteristic places are the Plaza del Abad Francisco Navarro, Calle del Cantón, Calle Santo Domingo, Plaza de la Colegiata, Avenida Le Dorat, Plaza de las Arenas and Plaza Mayor, where the Living Portal is installed.
You can also explore festivals in Santillana del Mar and the municipality's local festival calendar.
Origin and history
The celebration was born in 1959 at the initiative of Antonio Niceas Martínez Gutiérrez, chaplain of the convent of the Poor Clare Mothers, through the San Francisco Youth Centre. In 1966, the text of the Auto de los Reyes Magos written by Leopoldo Rodríguez Alcalde was definitively incorporated, a literary base to which scenarios and staging resources have been added.
Escenas del Auto Sacramental
The representation links the Annunciation of the angel Saint Gabriel, the Roman Edict and the meetings of Joseph and Mary with different characters during their journey. The opening of the Living Nativity Scene in the Plaza Mayor gives way to the Annunciation and Adoration of the shepherds and, finally, to the arrival of the Royal Emissary along Le Dorat Avenue.
The Three Kings Parade
The entry of the Kings begins a second part with four main episodes: the mayor's reception in front of the Los Infantes Hotel, the Hebrea's request on Santo Domingo Street, the meeting with Herod in the Plaza de las Arenas and the Adoration before the Living Portal of the Plaza Mayor.
The procession brings together around 500 participants including torchlighters, pages, musicians, horsemen, stage personnel and volunteers. Carriages, horses, ponies and the Kings' camels reinforce the setting, along with live music, lighting and the pyrotechnic finale that has been incorporated into different editions.
Organisation and recognitions
The Santillana del Mar City Council and the Three Kings' Parade Association coordinate a representation supported by neighbors, extras and volunteers. The festival obtained recognition of Regional Tourist Interest in 1993 and was declared Festival of National Tourist Interest in 2009, a distinction released in the 2010 edition.