Saint John of Tolosa: Ancient and Modern Traditions

Saint John's Day

The excitement and anticipation of Saint John’s Day make the shortest night of the year seem even shorter. At 5:30 a.m., the Bordon Dantzaris (traditional dancers) continue their work of collecting dew-covered ash branches to place in the streets of the Old Town. According to tradition, these branches protect the crops.

The txistularis (Basque flute players) first visit the homes of the mayor and council members of Tolosa Town Hall, gradually waking the entire town. Also worthy of mention is the special tradition maintained for years by the recently deceased Joxe Mari Gorrotxategi, who had the custom of going to the Town Hall square on Saint John’s Day to present the mayor with a bouquet of flowers.

Bordon dantza

Suddenly, drums and whistles begin to sound: different companies of riflemen begin to parade, carrying their rifles. This is a reenactment of the Battle of Beotibar between Gipuzkoans and Navarrese. Today, however, the festive atmosphere predominates. Hundreds of people, in their colorful costumes, fire salutes as the procession, the municipal txistulari band, bordon-dantzaris (dancers), municipal members, the Tolosa Municipal Band, and more txistularis, all participate.

During the parade, there are several moving moments, including the departure of the High Mass from the Church of Santa María. For a moment, the first sounds of the bells of the Zortziko de bordon-dantzaris (traditional Basque dance) and the melodies of the band and the txistularis (Basque flute players) join the volleys of gunfire from the different companies of riflemen. In recent years, the Tolosa giants’ parade has also generated enormous interest.

Some notes about this day

Another of the characteristic places visited during the parade is the oldest church in Tolosa, the Church of San Juan de Arramele. On June 23 and 24, Mass is celebrated in the afternoon, including Vespers and Compline, and the council members can once again be seen in their elegant attire. Interestingly, the youngest council member carries the “syndic”: a sword adorned with carnations and a white handkerchief with the Tolosa coat of arms, representing the Beotibar War. At the exit, the famous carnations that decorate the statue of Saint John, the Arramele hermitage, and the Church of Santa María are distributed.

One of the highlights of the afternoon is the Bordon-Dantza. The dancers perform the zortziko in the morning, but the dance that gives the dance its name takes place in the afternoon. Some sources claim it was first danced to celebrate their victory at the Battle of Beotibar, but this cannot be confirmed.

The Saint John’s Day parade ends in the Plaza del Triángulo, where the mayor and all the town council members dance for the entire town. Just as they did in the morning in Plaza Euskal Herria, the final salutes will be fired here, under the direction of the captain general and the mayor.