The Festival of St. Yves took place on May 21st 2004 in Barcelona
Saint Yves is the patron saint of Barcelona’s illustrious College of “Procuradores”. Each year, on the same date, the celebration of the great patron of our colleague “Procuradores” in Barcelona gives rise to an impressive ceremony.
An unusual ceremony
At 12pm, in the prestigious hall of “Pasos Perdidos”, located in the heart of the Barcelona Palace of Justice, where the grounds and museum of the College of “Procuradores” are located, the first stage of the diploma and decorations awards ceremony for “Procuradores” who have been practising for 25 years took place. Following this, spectators were allowed to attend the second stage, the new recipients investiture ceremony.
The May 21st ceremony was presided over by Mr. Guillem Vidal I Andreu, President of the High Court of Catalonia.
Following the opening addresses of Mrs. Ana Molzeres Muruzabal, Deacon of the Barcelona College of “Procuradores” and the Catalonia College of “Procuradores”, the President of the College of Spain, Mr. Juan Carlos Estevez Fernandez Novoa, Mr. Jacques Isnard, President of the IUJO and “honorary” speaker and Mr. José Valles I Casadevall, President of the High Court of Catalonia, it was time for the recipients to be awarded with their medals, diplomas and decorations for the merits that they were being acknowledged as having earned, by “decana” Ana Moleres Maruzabal and President Juan Carlos Estevez Fernandez Novoa.
Sponsors, oaths and investiture
Next up was the investiture ceremony. For outsiders not entirely familiar with the rules of the Society of Spanish “Procuradores” the investiture ceremony for new members is memorable because of the solemnity of the ritual.
When the recipient's name was called by Secretary Fernandez Anguera, they walked--accompanied by both sponsors-- along the long, red carpeted walkway, which spanned the entire length of the impressive state room of “Pas Perdus”, until they reached, at the top of the steps, the benches where the key figures were seated. Here, they responded out loud to the oath read to them by the Secretary. Following this, with the assistance of their sponsors, they put on, maintaining a serious, even constrained demeanour, the robe symbolic of their acceptance into the profession.
The same ceremony was carried out in exactly the same way for each of the 14 persons called.
In countries with strong traditions this type of ceremony is always impressive and the “imposicion de togas” entirely lived up to expectations.
We also remarked on the large proportion of young women (8 out of 14 in this case) and the young age range of the group of Spanish “Procuradores” which reflects the future of the profession.
