There are fires that hold the heat of an entire year, waiting for the exact moment to burst into flame. This mystery is repeated every afternoon on June 23 in Barcelona with the arrival of the Flama del Canigó, the ritual that will light the St. John’s bonfires in the city’s squares and streets. The flame, guarded for twelve months in Perpignan and rekindled on the legendary Pyrenean peak, will make its way down to Plaça de Sant Jaume this Tuesday to mark the beginning of the shortest night of the year.
The flame’s journey through Barcelona will begin at 5:00 p.m. from Camp Nou and culminate in the Gothic Quarter with a reception that is as solemn as it is popular. Residents, local organizations, and the most iconic figures from traditional folklore will gather in the afternoon in the heart of the city to receive the flame, which, passed from hand to hand, will bring the 2026 festivities to life.
A journey born of literature
This tradition, which unites the Catalan-speaking regions on a single night, began in 1955 on the initiative of Francesc Pujades, a resident of Arles de Tec. Inspired by the verses of Jacint Verdaguer’s poem “Canigó,” Pujades had the idea of lighting the St. John’s bonfires at the mountain’s summit and bringing the flame down to spread it far and wide.
The original flame is never extinguished: it is kept alive throughout the year at the Casa Pairal Museum in Perpignan until June 22, when it is carried to the summit of the mountain range. At midnight, the flame begins its journey, branching out into hundreds of paths. It first arrived in Barcelona in 1967, a year after crossing the border into Vic, and became established during the Franco dictatorship as a symbol of the survival of local culture.
Schedule and map for the afternoon at Sant Jaume
The heart of the celebration will be in Plaça de Sant Jaume, where the City Giants, the Capgrossos Macers, and the City Eagle are already waiting to pay their respects. The scheduled times for the afternoon of Tuesday, June 23, are as follows:
7:00 p.m.: End of the event in the square.
5:00 p.m.: The flame departs from Camp Nou toward Plaça de Sant Jaume.
5:30 p.m.: The festivities in the square begin with a sardana dance performed by the Cobla Sant Jordi – Ciutat de Barcelona.
5:45 p.m.: Welcome ceremony with the arrival of the Àliga, the Capgrossos Macers, and the Gegants de la Ciutat.
6:00 p.m.: Arrival of the Flame of Canigó at Plaça de Sant Jaume and lighting of the cauldron, accompanied by the honor guard of the Castellers de Barcelona.
6:10 p.m.: Ceremonial dances by the figures from the bestiary and the giants.
6:20 p.m.: Reading of the official message of the Flame, written this year by Núria Cadenes, followed by the corresponding speeches.
6:35 p.m.: Distribution of the fire. Teams from the various neighborhoods will take the stage to light their torches and carry the flame to bonfires throughout the city.
