We move back to the year 259 AD, specifically to 21 January. Fructuosus, Tarraco’s bishop, Augurius and Eulogius, his deacons, are taken to Tarraco’s Roman Amphitheatre, where they will be burnt alive by the Roman emperors Valerian and Gallienus.
Now, in 2015, the Associació Cultural Sant Fructuós de Tarragona explains this martyrdom process, based on a true story, thanks to an exciting play. Twenty-five years after the very first performance, this year’s edition –due on Friday, Saturday and Sunday– will take place in three different spots in three very different parts:
The arrest of Saint Fructuosus and his deacons will become the first part of the representation. This scene takes place in Voltes del Circ. An audio-visual projection will help the audience historically contextualise the play.
The second part will take place in the Amphitheatre, the very same location where the martyrdom occurred in 259 AD. Dialogs will be reproduced in Latin, so that spectators get a faithful representation of the martyr’s life. If you don’t know the language used by the Romans, don’t worry: subtitles are available in both Catalan and Spanish. This act will be accompanied by live music performed by Cor i Orquestra dels Amics de la Catedral, on an idyllic scenery.
The third and last act takes place in the Early-Christian Necropolis, where the martyr’s bodies were buried. The funeral ritual will be faithfully represented according to the early-Christian tradition. Spectators will have the chance to move freely round this location to know more about the way dead bodies were buried in the past.
As for the tickets, up to 10 combinations have been designed to suit the spectators’ needs. The first part will take place on Friday 10 in both Catalan and Spanish. A number of 50-minute representations will be performed between 7.30pm and 10.30pm. The next morning, starting at 10am, users can enjoy it once more until 1pm.
The second part, that will take place in the Roman Amphitheatre on Saturday 11, lasts for about 60 minutes.
Finally, the last part is programmed for Sunday 12 starting at 10am, and until 1pm, in both Catalan and Spanish.
Tickets can be purchased on Tarragona’s Tourism Offices (Carrer Major, 37 & Rambla Nova s/n, with Carrer Unió), cost 12€, and include the 3 parts. With the purchase of the ticket, users will get a discount card for La Ruta dels Primers Cristians de Tarragona, a route round the most relevant spots for Tarragona’s first Christians (www.tarragonaturisme.cat).
And if you’ve still got time to find out about the origins of Christianity, we do recommend a visit to Centcelles, a unique universal early-Christian art jewel. Besides, you can also book a hotel to spend a night in the city in an unforgettable experience.
Enjoy the perfect weekend with a combination of theatre, history, archaeology and tourism, and discover Tarragona4’s magic, a city with live history.
For more information: +34 608 668 773 / www.acsantfructuos.cat
