The town of Elche is famous for its Palmera – a grove of immense palm trees planted by the Moors. Thanks to the plentiful supply of blanched palm leaves, the celebrations of Holy Week have always been observed with particular enthusiasm, especially on the opening day, Palm Sunday. The main event of the day is the Palm Procession in which fronds are carried through the streets by the faithful, commemorating Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. There is also a weaving competition in which leaves are fashioned to create complex figures, relating to the events of Holy Week or to Elche’s monuments and traditions. Elche has done well out of the blanched palm leaf trade, as records going back to 1492 confirm. To this day, Elche continues to export ceremonial palm leaves to the rest of the Catholic world.