- Region
- Águilas
- Alhama de Murcia
- Jumilla
- Lorca
- Los Alcázares
- Mazarrón
- San Javier
-
ALL AREAS & TOWNS
- AREAS
- SOUTH WEST
- MAR MENOR
- MURCIA CITY & CENTRAL
- NORTH & NORTH WEST
- TOWNS
- Abanilla
- Abarán
- Aguilas
- Alamillo
- Alcantarilla
- Aledo
- Alhama de Murcia
- Archena
- Balsicas
- Blanca
- Bolnuevo
- Bullas
- Cañadas del Romero
- Cabo de Palos
- Calasparra
- Camping Bolnuevo
- Campo De Ricote
- Camposol
- Canada De La Lena
- Caravaca de la Cruz
- Cartagena
- Cehegin
- Ceuti
- Cieza
- Condado de Alhama
- Corvera
- Costa Cálida
- Cuevas De Almanzora
- Cuevas de Reyllo
- El Carmoli
- El Mojon
- El Molino (Puerto Lumbreras)
- El Pareton / Cantareros
- El Raso
- El Valle Golf Resort
- Fortuna
- Fuente Alamo
- Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
- Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
- Isla Plana
- Islas Menores & Mar de Cristal
- Jumilla
- La Azohia
- La Charca
- La Manga Club
- La Manga del Mar Menor
- La Pinilla
- La Puebla
- La Torre
- La Torre Golf Resort
- La Unión
- Las Palas
- Las Ramblas
- Las Ramblas Golf
- Las Torres de Cotillas
- Leiva
- Librilla
- Lo Pagan
- Lo Santiago
- Lorca
- Lorquí
- Los Alcázares
- Los Balcones
- Los Belones
- Los Canovas
- Los Nietos
- Los Perez (Tallante)
- Los Urrutias
- Los Ventorrillos
- Mar De Cristal
- Mar Menor
- Mar Menor Golf Resort
- Mazarrón
- Mazarrón Country Club
- Molina de Segura
- Moratalla
- Mula
- Murcia City
- Murcia Property
- Pareton
- Peraleja Golf Resort
- Perin
- Pilar de la Horadada
- Pinar de Campoverde
- Pinoso
- Playa Honda
- Playa Honda / Playa Paraíso
- Pliego
- Portmán
- Pozo Estrecho
- Puerto de Mazarrón
- Puerto Lumbreras
- Puntas De Calnegre
- Region of Murcia
- Ricote
- Roda Golf Resort
- Roldan
- Roldan and Lo Ferro
- San Javier
- San Pedro del Pinatar
- Santiago de la Ribera
- Sierra Espuña
- Sucina
- Tallante
- Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
- Torre Pacheco
- Totana
- What's On Weekly Bulletin
- Yecla
- EDITIONS: Spanish News Today Alicante Today Andalucia Today
ARCHIVED - 6th January, Auto de los Reyes Magos in El Berro, Sierra Espuña
A medieval mystery play adapted in the municipality of Alhama de Murcia and performed in the streets of the village of El Berro
On the 6th January, an event known as the Auto de los Reyes Magos takes place in several different towns across the Region of Murcia, among them the village of El Berro in the mountains of Sierra Espuña, consisting of a performance of a mediaeval nativity play.
This is one of the two oldest pieces of theatrical literature in Spain, the other being La Asunción de la Virgen, the famous Elche mystery plays, which are performed in Elche on 14th and 15th August every year.
In the eighteenth century Felipe Fernández Vallejo, the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, discovered an ancient manuscript in the library of Toledo Cathedral, which was named the Auto de los Reyes Magos. It was dated to around 1150, making it the oldest known theatrical piece in the Spanish language, and tells the story of the Three Kings following the star to find the baby Jesus.
The tradition of performing the Auto was subsequently revived and although each of the many versions of the play are based around the same manuscript and the same core, regional variations have inevitably resulted in a number of different interpretations of the work: here in Murcia there are several slightly different versions, each with identifiable local influences.
This Auto de los Reyes Magos in El Berro is led by the musical Cuadrilla of the village, which leads the Three Kings on horseback through the streets as the play is performed at different stop-off points.
Dialogue is in Spanish, so it can be difficult for non-Spanish speakers to follow (although most of us know enough about the nativity story to get the gist!), but there's nothing to beat a warming drink in one of the excellent restaurants in the village and maybe a walk in the regional park of Sierra Espuña afterwards (or the Mass which is held at the end of the event). To eat in one of the local restaurants booking is absolutely necessary as those taking part in the Auto usually eat afterwards and space is at a premium.
The Auto begins in the car park opposite the camping park, which is right by the entrance to the village, and is invariably not quite at the time advertised. There is plenty of parking.
In 2020 an exhibition related to the history of the Auto in El Berro is being held at the local Casa de Cultura from 2nd to 6th January, before the play itself is scheduled to start at 11.00.
For more local events, news and other information go to the home page of Alhama Today.