Cheese rolling vs. Mariquelo

 

Here's a link to a YouTube video about a very quirky and, in my opinion, very dangerous English "sport" - cheese rolling. 

I am bemused by this but I happen to think this is quite odd. Why would you willingly  run/tumble/roll down a very steep hill, risking doing some serious damage to your body? 

And all for the glory of a wheel of cheese! I mean I personally love cheese. However, not quite that much to do something quite so potentially hazardous to my health. 

Is there an activity or "sport" here in Spain comparable to this? 

Would you be brave or silly enough to take part? 

Shared by Michael Church

and the anwer to Michael's challenge: 

by Cristina Sánchez

There's a tradition in my city, Salamanca, which involves a person (the Mariquelo) going up the cathedral to its highest point once a year, dressed in traditional costume with traditional instruments in tow. Once there, he plays, prays and waves at the people congregated below. Here are some pics:

Lately, he has not been allowed to climb the last stretch, which he used to do with no security measures at all. He does this to bring attention to different causes each year. This year he remembered COVID victims.

by Ana Andreu:

Image credit: "El Norte de Castilla" newspaper

The story about Mariquelo (that Cristina is talking about) comes from a very ancient tradition, since the Portugal (Lisbon) earthquake, which took place in 1755. It was that intense that it reached the city of Salamanca provoking important damage to our Cathedral, in which many people who was walking around took shelter.

Fortunately there were no victims apart from the damage in some monuments, and to thank God about the protection of the people, the Clergy decided to commemorate that moment, every October 31st, by climbing up to the dome.

This action was performed by "Los Mariquelos" family until 1976 and nowadays, since 1985, this tradition is taking place by Ángel Rufino: "El Mariquelo", who carries a bagpipe and a tambourine, dressed in a typical "charro" costume.

This performance amazes everyone who visits the Cathedral every October 31st, I highly recommend you to assist at least once :)