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Abla (Municipality, Andalusia, Spain)

Flag of Abla - Image from the Simbolos de Almería website, 22 April 2014

Presentation of Abla
Symbols of Abla
La Cardoncha festival

See also:

Presentation of Abla

The municipality of Abla (1,422 inhabitants in 2013; 4,524 ha; municipal website) is located 70 km north-west of Almería.

The inhabitants of Abla were first mentioned, as Abulense, by the geographer Ptolemy. Abla was furthermore considered as one of the very first towns in Spain being converted to the Christian faith in the 1st century AD, with a bishopric established. It was believed for long time that this town was indeed Ávila. However, modern historians say that Abula was indeed today's Abla and that Ávila was Obila, instead.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 4 November 2012

Symbols of Abla

The flag of Abla, adopted on 2 August 1989 by the Municipal Council and validated on 14 June 1991 by the Royal Academy of History, is prescribed by Decree No. 176, adopted on 24 September 1991 by the Government of Andalusia and published on 31 October 1991 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 96, p. 9,185 (text). This was confirmed by a Decree adopted on 30 November 2004 by the Government of Andalusia and published on 20 December 2004 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 246, pp. 28,986-29,002 (text).

The flag is described as follows:

Flag: Rectangular panel, white with a narrow green cross reaching the borders of the flag. In the middle of the flag is placed the crowned municipal coat of arms.

The coat of arms of Abla, adopted on 5 December 1986 and 20 December 1988 by the Municipal Council and validated on 24 June 1988 by the Royal Academy of History, is prescribed by Decree No. 16, adopted on 7 February 1989 by the Government of Andalusia and published on 3 March 1989 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 17, pp. 716-717 (text). This was confirmed by a Decree adopted on 30 November 2004 by the Government of Andalusia and published on 20 December 2004 in the official gazette of Andalusia, No. 246, pp. 28,986-29,002 (text).
The coat of arms is described as follows:

Coat of arms: Per fess, 1. Gules a Roman portico [masoned sable port and windows azure] with three central columns with capitals ensigned with a pediment all or surmounted by the writing "Abula" argent, 2. Azure a tower argent [masoned and port and windows sable]. The shield surmounted by a Royal crown closed.

The portico recalls the significance of the town in the Roman period. The tower, of defensive character, recalls the Muslim period.
[Símbolos de las Entidades Locales de Andalucía. Almería (PDF file)]

Klaus-Michael Schneider & Ivan Sache, 4 November 2012

La Cardoncha festival

Flag of La Cardoncha festival - Image by Ivan Sache, 14 May 2014

The green cross on the flag of Abla alludes to the flag of La Cardoncha, a festival celebrated in the town during the Holy Week since the 16th century.
La Cardoncha is organized by the Brotherhood of the Risen Christ (Hermandad del Resucitado de Abla). The brotherhood originates in the establishment on 31 August 1572 of an armed militia, composed of four cohorts and aimed at protect the villagers. As usual in the 17th century, the militia was organized as a religious brotherhood dedicated to the Risen Christ; the oldest mention of the brotherhood is dated 1664.
Although militias were suppressed in the 19th century, the brotherhood maintained a military organization and kept using the banner, uniforms and weapons of the old militia. The brotherhood is led by five Major Brothers: the Captain bears the command baton, the Reformao lacks any attribute, the Standard-Bearer (Abanderado) bears the flag, the Sergeant raises the halberd, and the Chief of Squad raises the partisans. The ordinary brothers form the troop, or community. By "immemorial privilege", the brothers are not expected to take off their hat inside the church, except during the Consecration of the Host.
[Diario de Almería, 27 March 2013]

The flag of La Cardoncha (photo, photo) is horizontally divided red-yellow-white- blue, charged in the middle with a green cross couped, quite unusual in Spanish flags.
The flag shows up on Easter Friday, carried in a "mourning" way, that is, with a mourning cover and upside down. The flag attends the procession of the Holy Funeral; during the Gloria of the Resurrection Mass, the mourning cover is changed for a gala cover. During the procession of Easter Sunday, the flag is "played" on each of the four squares of the town; the ceremony of the "flag game" (juga de bandera; photo, video) is eventually performed by the members of the brotherhood on the small church's square.

Ivan Sache, 14 May 2014