Pascua Militar

The Pascua Militar (transl. Military Easter) is a military ceremony that takes place every 6 January in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace of Madrid. The King of Spain receives the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Chiefs of Staff of all branches, the Grand Masters of the Royal and Military Orders of San Fernando and San Hermenegildo, the Civil Guard chiefs and the Veterans Brotherhood.

Military Easter
2019 Pascua Militar
Official namePascua Militar
Observed bySpain
SignificanceIt is a military holiday that commemorates the recovery of the city of Mahón and the definitive expulsion of the English from Mallorca.
CelebrationsThe Monarch reviews the troops, salutes the civil and military authorities and, together with the Defense Minister, gives a speech.
DateJanuary 6
Frequencyannual
Related toEpiphany

The holiday begins with the review of the troops (composed mainly by the Royal Guard) by the Monarch in the courtyard of the Royal Palace after being saluted by the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of Staff. After this, they go to the Throne Room of the Royal Palace where the Monarch rewards some military officers. During this day, both the Monarch and the Defence Minister make speeches to the Government, the highest officers of the Armed Forces and other authorities. These speeches usually reflect the Spanish political and geostrategic situation.

Along with Madrid, the holiday is celebrated in the rest of the country in the different military headquarters.[1][2][3]

Origin

King Charles III established this ceremony on the occasion of the capture of Menorca to the British, carried out by a Franco-Spanish army of 52 ships in 1782 and the Spanish Navy Marines. As an expression of joy, Charles III ordered the Viceroys, Captain Generals, Governors and Military commanders to gather the garrisons at the feast of the Epiphany and to notify their commanders and officers of the armies of their congratulations on their behalf. The Military Easter has gone from being a historical memory to a solemn and important military act with which the military year begins, a balance is made of the previous year and the lines of action to be developed are marked in which it begins.[4]

See also

References
  1. "La Capitanía General de Canarias celebró los actos de la Pascua Militar". eldia.es (in Spanish). 2005-01-07. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
  2. 20Minutos (2019-01-05). "La Almudaina acogerá este domingo la celebración de la Pascua Militar". 20minutos.es - Últimas Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-01-06.
  3. "Ceuta celebra hoy el desfile y los actos conmemorativos por la Pascua Militar". El Faro de Ceuta (in Spanish). 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
  4. "Inicio - Actividades y Agenda - Pascua Militar". www.casareal.es. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
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