Once again this year, the Asociación Cultural El Camino del Santo Grial has travelled to the Ninot Exhibition in the City of Arts and Sciences to give its verdict and award the “Primer Premi Ninot Camino del Santo Grial” in its second edition. The association wants to reward the ninots of the children’s fallas by encouraging the artists to be inspired by the values represented by the Way of the Holy Grail, the Route of Knowledge, the path of peace. A path that, due to its frequency of Jubilee, is the most important in all of Christianity. And not only because a Jubilee is celebrated in perpetuity in the Cathedral of Valencia every five years, thanks to the custody of the Holy Chalice of the Last Supper, the Holy Grail. But because the true protagonist of this journey is Jesus, who blessed the cup of blessing which, according to Christian oral tradition and the evidence provided by Dr. Ana Mafé García’s research, is undoubtedly in the Chapel of the Holy Chalice in Valencia.

How many cities would like to be known in the world for having the only Hebrew blessing cup that exists in one piece, carved in the time of the Second Temple, contemporary to Herod the Great and that in its very stone can be seen alluding to both the genealogy of Jesus and his message of universal Love.

Last year it was the Comisión Fallera Azcàrraga i Ferran el Catòlic who received this award for the first time in its history. The reason is because the Cultural Association The Way of the Holy Grail was celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022 and as a sign of its links with Valencian society, the Board of Directors created this award, which will gradually be consolidated.

The reason for giving prominence to the youngest responds to the fact that they are the ones who in the future will be able to enjoy all the benefits that this path will bring to the city of Valencia and its territory.

The Asociación Cultural El Camino del Santo Grial has selected this ninot from among several competing for the prize. It was the poetic representation of the meaning of “Knowledge” that made it the winner of the contest.

The winning ninot is an allegory of thought, of the values that should nourish the minds of children. With captions where you can read about family, friends, love.

With the title “I si…?” we are going to describe the winning ninot. We see  a kitten and a little dog and a child who, in a dreamy way, shows his head open, literally showing his thoughts. You look at it and you see a beautiful miniature garden.

It is like showing “the paradise of my mind”, says Dr. Mafé. This road as the main axis between Aragon and the Valencian Community is called the Route of Knowledge, the Road of Peace. This ninot shows precisely in his mind, in his knowledge, the foundations for this path: Love, Family, Friendship… Laughter.

Congratulations to the artist Carlos Herrero Muria who created this magnificent composition. A true plea for the importance of taking care of the mind of the little ones with a loving family, friends and why not, a couple of pets that gladden the heart.

For those who want to see the video: https://youtu.be/A_agvverGM4

The award was officially presented on 18th March during a dinner in the marquee of the Falla L’Empalme. The Board of Directors of the Association, represented by Dr. Mafé, Mr. Jesús Gimeno Peris and Mrs. Liubov Daniel Albariño, was received by the president of the Comissió Fallera Marià Benlliure – Séquia de Tormo Tormo Mr. Sergio Verdejo Chicharro together with the second vice-president of the commission and member of the Solidarity delegation, Mª José Blanco Ballester, the fallera mayor Rebeca Urgel García, Valeria Sánchez Blanco, fallera mayor infantil and Teo Gascó Clavel, president infantil.

In addition to the corresponding pennant and a cash prize, the Board of Directors presented Eros Recio with a copy of his comic book “EL GRIALATO” recently published by Upwords. In its pages, the multifaceted artist has recreated a half-dragon, half-bat character who tells the story of the Way of the Holy Grail.

At the end of the awards ceremony, Dr. Mafé was able to interview the fallero artist Carlos Herrero Muria who dedicated a few words of thanks to the Asociación Cultural El Camino del Santo Grial.

Report by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’