Within the List of Improbable Fiestas lies Motril's Earthquake day, which is celebrated on the 13th of January because of one that occurred in 1804.

Out comes the effigies of the Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza Coronada and Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno from the Iglesia Mayor al Santuario for a quick spin around town with the odd handbrake turn on the tighter corners.

Whilst out and about, the effigies are asked to bless the town and its fields of crops before being whistled back to the church.

The Mayor, Luisa María García Chamorro and a gaggle of councillors gathered in the Iglesia de la Encarnación for the main ceremony.

All this effigy outings and praying goes back to the two earthquakes of 1804 and 1884 with the idea of a bit of divine intervention through god flattery to spare the town from anymore wobbly days.

Amazingly, last year the town was not levelled by a fit of heavenly ire as this ceremony had been cancelled due to the pandemic – or perhaps Omicrón is a manifestation of somebody feeling not enough attention has been lavished?

Never mind, burning a couple of heretics sorts that kind of misunderstanding out… I’ll bring the matches and sparklers…

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)