The Spanish Legion
CulturalMalaga | May 30, 2009
The Spanish Legion was created as a military force during the Moroccan War that afronted Spain with the Moroccan Sultan. Nowadays the Legion has passed from fighting with the muslims to realizing himanitarian acts with the aim to help the muslims.
Since quite a long period of time the Legion devotes to the operacions of peace, such as humanitarian help in Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Iraq, Afganistan, etc.
Not only the Spanish citizens can roll in the lists of the Legion, foreigners are also allowed to be included in the tropes.
The Legion had an uncertain future, but managed to change the situation by adapting new
perspectives and realizing some reorganization in the military forces, including the creating of the 4th Quarter in Ronda (Málaga).
In Málaga exists a very strong tradition regarding the tropes of the Legion. Thousands of people gather in the port of Málaga in the morning of the Saint Thursday, standing in a long queue to see the disembarkation of the Legion. They feel very proud at observing the rows of the strong warriors defiling in the streets of Málaga and pronouncing their “novio de la muerte” . Thus they direct to the Cristo de la Mena Church from which they would start the night procession later. The warriors bring their Christ in the shoulders to the church and there is the Pet of the Legion (usually a goat) defiling together with the soldiers.
