The government of Calpe will take to the December plenary session the proposal to formalize the application for the declaration of the “Moros y Cristianos” as a Festivity of National Tourist Interest. These festivities already obtained in 2013 the declaration of Festivity of Tourist Interest in the Autonomous Region and given its impact and uniqueness, it is estimated that they could obtain the national declaration.
This type of declaration, which is determined by the Secretary of State for Tourism, requires a favourable report from the Autonomous Community in whose territory it takes place and the agreement of the Plenary Session of the Town Council of the town in which it is held. It is an essential requirement that five years have passed since it was declared a festival of regional interest, and the process of obtaining it is complex and lengthy.
Nevertheless, the Town Council hopes that the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism will recognise the impulse and history of a festival with its own personality and characteristics, with one of the most attractive parades in the province and a unique and differentiating element such as the representation of El Miracle.
The “Moros y Cristianos” festivities in Calpe will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2027. In 1977 the first filaes "Almogavares" and "Calpeins" were born on the Christian side and "Berberiscos" and "Califach" on the Moorish side. In November of that year the first assembly took place ,and the Association of “Moros y Cristianos” Santíssim Crist de la Suor was created and Joaquín Sala Ortolá was elected as the first president.
The acts that make up the festive trilogy are established: disembarkation, parliament, or miracle and parade, as well as the festive positions and the characters of Moncofar and Caragol, and the fiesta begins to take shape. A competition is held to choose the Association's banner, the statutes are approved and the text of the parlament is established, the work of Enríque Pastor Iborra.
The Miracle is precisely the most unique and characteristic element of the festivity, based on the historical events that took place on 22nd October 1744, and is staged every year during the celebration of the “Moros y Cristianos” festivities. It is based on one of the many attacks that the population of Calpe received from the invaders of the halfmoon, a character from the history of Calpe known as 'Caragol', managed to close the gates of the town with the intervention, according to legend, of the Santísimo Cristo del Sudor, despite the betrayal of the character of 'Moncofar'. In 2021, ONCE (the organisation of the blind) dedicated its October 20th coupon to the "Miracle" of Calpe, five and a half million coupons were distributed with the image of this festive representation.