#tudela

Video from A Punt.

The tradition consists on a child aged 3 or 4 years old, chosen randomly among all the kids in the town, who is dressed as an angel and suspended on a string above the town's main square when the procession arrives. The angel reaches for the statue of Virgin Mary and removes her black veil (symbol of mourning), symbolizing that She receives the news that her son Jesus Christ has come back to life.

🇪🇸 Benjamín de Tudela, un viajero judío del siglo XII, realizó un extenso recorrido entre 1165 y 1173, documentando en su obra Séfer Masa’ot (Libro de los Viajes) una gran cantidad de información sobre diversas culturas, religiones y geografías, desde Bagdad hasta lugares remotos de Asia Central, India, Tíbet y China. En su relato, destaca no solo la descripción de las rutas comerciales centroasiáticas y los centros de intercambio como Samarcanda, sino también la presencia de comunidades judías en Kaifeng (China) y las interacciones con otras culturas. Sin embargo, sus observaciones mezclan hechos reales y mitos, dando pie a la creación de fantasías sobre criaturas y lugares lejanos. La influencia de las rutas comerciales de los Radanitas, los mercaderes judíos que conectaban Europa y Asia, es crucial en sus relatos. A través de su obra, Benjamín contribuyó al conocimiento europeo sobre Oriente y dejó una huella significativa en la documentación histórica y cultural de su tiempo. Las descripciones sobre China y sus mitos, aunque muchas veces imprecisas, reflejan el asombro ante culturas distantes y misteriosas.

🇺🇸 Benjamin de Tudela, a 12th-century Jewish traveler, undertook an extensive journey between 1165 and 1173, documenting in his work Sefer Masa’ot (Book of Travels) a wealth of information about various cultures, religions, and geographies, from Baghdad to remote places in Central Asia, India, Tibet, and China. His account highlights not only the description of Central Asian trade routes and exchange hubs like Samarkand, but also the Jewish communities in Kaifeng (China) and interactions with other cultures. However, his observations blend real facts with myths, leading to the creation of fantasies about creatures and distant places. The influence of the Radhanite trade routes, Jewish merchants who connected Europe and Asia, is crucial in his narratives. Through his work, Benjamin contributed to European knowledge of the East and left a significant mark on the historical and cultural documentation of his time. His descriptions of China and its myths, though often inaccurate, reflect the awe towards distant and mysterious cultures.