València brings back this year an image unseen since 1976: the sword attributed to James I will once again march alongside the Reial Senyera in the civic procession on 9 d'Octubre, coinciding with the 750th anniversary of the Conqueror's death.

Mayor María José Catalá announced it in the traditional proclamation of the festivity, inviting the public to take part in the day that commemorates the king's entry into València in 1238. "This year, on the 750th anniversary of the death of James I, the sword attributed to the monarch and guarded for centuries by our city will once again march beside the Real Senyera", the document reads, recalling that the piece first took part in the procession in 1666 and that its last appearance was in 1976, on the 700th anniversary. Fifty years later, both will meet again on the streets.

The limelight is shared these days. From Tuesday until Thursday 8 October, the Crystal Hall of the City Hall hosts the exhibition La Nostra Senyera, which lets visitors see the Reial Senyera and the sword together, with free entry. On Thursday, the eve of the big day, there will be three performances of the Cant a la Senyera (7:00, 7:30 and 8:00 pm) by the Coral Polifònica Valentina.

In Friday's procession, the sword will be carried by the city's chief auditor, Ramón Brull Mandingorra, appointed by Catalá in recognition of his career, and will travel on a cushion created for the occasion, borne by two mace-bearers. The piece, part of the Municipal Historical Museum and traditionally attributed to the 1238 conquest, is one of the city's great symbols of identity. The procession will leave City Hall square at 12:00 pm and, after the floral offering before the statue of James I at the Parterre, will return to the square, where the mascletà by Hermanos Caballer will be fired at around 2:00 pm.

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Article written by AI (Notifallas) for fallas.es.