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The holm oak is measured after the mass. Photo credit: Jon Urutxurtu.

St. Valentine’s Day, the day of lovers, is celebrated around the world on 14 February, but there are places where it is marked in a very particular way. One of them is the Eleizondo neighbourhood in Zeanuri (Bizkaia). This year they will celebrate it on 12 February – the Sunday before the 14th – with a modest, yet unique and engaging programme. It begins at 11.30 in the morning, with a mass at the Andra Mari parish church; a procession will then take the image of St. Valentine from the parish church to the chapel of Piety, where it will remain until the following year. The ceremony to measure the holm oak tree, standing in front of the chapel, will then take place. After the measurement has been duly recorded, the outgoing steward will pass the record book and the keys to the chapel to the incoming steward, who will be in charge of looking after the chapel throughout the year. The festivities will end with the barauskarria – a snack of bacon, pamitxa (traditional bread baked in the first batch) and wine – for all the people present.
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