The traditional paprika festival of Szeged will be held this Saturday, coinciding with the holy day of St. Francis. In addition to the usual programs, pepper and spice markets will be ready for all visitors.
Franciscan friars were the first to plant peppers in the area, first as an ornamental plant and later used for healing. The product was applied externally to treat insect bites and consumed as a remedy against malaria.
During the festival, in addition to a demonstration of the Franciscan healing traditions, there will be a pepper and spice market in which visitors will have a chance to taste cauldron stew dishes. The highlight of the day promises to be a consecration of the pepper, with growers receiving blessings for their years of work.
Peppers reached the area from overseas through the Balkans in the eighteenth century. Large areas of the Carpathian Basin started to be cultivated in the second half of the century and in the nineteenth century. At the beginning of this century, they became a key crop for the region.
Source: vtvszeged.hu
