The plague of Santa Maria de Arenys de Mar

The Pesta in Santa Maria de Arenys de Mar returns with a tour through the streets of the old town!

The objective is for Arenys de Mar to return to the 16th century at the time when the population suffered the arrival of the plague that gave rise to the town vote in Sant Roc.

In the 16th century, the flourishing of Santa María de Arenys, today Arenys de Mar, was periodically interrupted by epidemics of the plague, a highly contagious disease that caused people to die. Hygiene back then was not like what we have today. They ate with their fingers, they slept in the court or the stable with the animals and everywhere there were rats, which were the main focus of contagion for the plague.

The fleas that lived on the blood of the mouse spread the plague bacteria to people. The contagion could also cause any product that had been in contact with people who carried the disease, such as clothing. Bad harvests were often added to the plague. With little food, people were in very poor health, which made them even more vulnerable to disease.

One of the most popular saints against the plague was Sant Roc. Sant Roc was an Occitan pilgrim who went to Rome and cared for plague patients. That is why he is venerated as a saint in the churches and his feast day is August 16. The cult of Sant Roc spread from Occitania and northern Italy to other parts of the Mediterranean from the 15th century. Altars, chapels and joys were dedicated to him everywhere.

The representation of La Pesta aims to revive, with several scenes, that historical moment and recreate how the cult began in Sant Roc in Arenys de Mar.

Do not miss it!