The town of Puigcerdà hosted the Canigó Flame on Tuesday, welcomed by a hundred people after a journey through various villages in Upper and Lower Cerdanya. The flame, carried by volunteers, was collected at midnight from the summit of Canigó to light the Sant Joan bonfires, an ancestral festival linked to the summer solstice and a symbol of brotherhood among the Catalan Countries.
Mònica Isern, a volunteer from the fire team, detailed the process of bringing down the flame, which includes collecting it from the Canigó summit and regenerating the fire from the flame originating from Castellet de Perpinyà, before beginning the descent to the different municipalities.
Eli Matos, also a volunteer, highlighted the festive and fraternal atmosphere during the day, despite the intense heat, describing the experience as very beautiful and a rewarding challenge.
“"Every year when we receive the Canigó Flame, we feel we share something very special. It is a light that has passed from hand to hand, from town to town, crossing mountains and valleys until it reaches here. And on this journey, the feeling of belonging to the same community, to a country that loves the same language, its culture, and its traditions, also travels. The Canigó Flame is a reflection of this collective strength, which generation after generation keeps its identity alive."
The mayor of Puigcerdà, Joan Manel Serra, thanked the volunteers for their involvement and emphasized the importance of keeping this tradition alive, highlighting the sense of belonging to a community united by language, culture, and traditions.
Mayors and councilors from nearby municipalities such as Guils, Bolvir, or Fontanals, along with residents, collected the flame in front of the Puigcerdà town hall, where a 'ballada de sardanes' (traditional Catalan dance) was also held and 'coca' (a type of sweet bread) was distributed.
After its stop in Puigcerdà, the flame continued its journey towards Alp, Ger, Bellver, and Martinet.
In parallel, in La Seu d’Urgell, the reception of the Canigó Flame at Parc del Cadí, with the participation of Mayor Joan Barrera and Deputy Mayor Gemma Tó, marked the beginning of the Sant Joan eve celebrations. The 'fallaires' (bonfire organizers) from Andorra la Vella were responsible for bringing the flame, which was used to light lamps and torches brought by individuals and entities for the municipal bonfires. Òmnium Cultural Alt Urgell read the manifesto.
