After the suspension by the red alert for rains came the crosses. In adults, the trinquete cross was won and in children the cross of the caves.
The September Crosses Festival in Chulilla is a religious celebration that takes place during the first weekend of September in honor of the Holy Cross.
The festivities begin on Friday afternoon, when the people of Chulilla decorate the streets with flowers and place crosses in each of them. These crosses are decorated with flowers and typical objects of the locality, and each one is carefully prepared by the neighbors of the corresponding street. Many of them are made of materials that may seem strange to outsiders, such as egg cartons, plastic bottles, X-rays, etc. Each street invents the best way to design and build it. The final result, the effort that went into making it, and the religiosity of the cross are all valued. Sometimes this religiosity is lost, creating works of great beauty that can even bring us closer to great art masters like Dalí or Picasso.
On Friday night, a popular dinner is held on each street, where the neighbours of that street celebrate the work done by enjoying local food and drink, music, and dance.
On Saturday morning, a solemn mass is held in honor of the Holy Cross at the local church, followed by a procession through the streets adorned with crosses. During the procession, the Hymn to the Holy Cross is sung and rockets and fireworks are burned.
The September Crosses Festival in Chulilla is a celebration deeply rooted in the culture and local traditions, and represents an opportunity for the residents and visitors to come together around the faith and culture of the town.
