Festival of Near Death

Every July, the small village of Santa Marta de Ribarteme in Galicia, northwestern Spain, hosts the unique “Festival of Near Death” (Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme). Here, the boundary between life and death blurs, as wooden coffins, clouds of incense, music, and prayers fill the village. If you’re fascinated by fate, miracles, and gratitude, this is a soulful festival where you can truly feel what it means to be alive, engaging all five senses in the heart of rural Spain.

Held annually on July 29th, the festival gathers people who have had a “near-death” experience in the past year, their families, friends, and curious visitors from around the world. It’s a special day, solemn yet warm, where gratitude, faith, and curiosity all come together and anyone can participate.

The Coffin Procession

Key Events

Costumes and Decorations

The origins of the “Festival of Near Death” (Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme) are believed to date back to around the 17th century. At that time in Galicia, people who had survived illness, accidents, or war considered their survival a “miracle” and developed the custom of visiting the church to give thanks to their patron saint, Santa Marta. Santa Marta de Ribarteme has long been a place where Saint Martha is venerated as the “patron of survivors,” and by the 18th century, the current tradition of survivors being carried in coffins and offering prayers of gratitude had become established.

This festival is a fusion of Catholic saint veneration and Galicia’s unique folk beliefs, as well as a deep respect for the boundary between life and death. Survivors and their families, called “ofrecidos,” enter the coffins to show gratitude for their “second life” granted by Santa Marta, making it a day for the entire village to reaffirm the value of life and the bonds of community.

Even today, as the village population declines, this festival remains the core of local identity and a symbol of Galicia’s culture, where “prayer and laughter” coexist. The fleeting nature of life, the strength to overcome any hardship, and the warmth of sharing gratitude with family and neighbors have been passed down through generations.

I'm not religious, but I was drawn to the symbolism of this ritual. Watching people who had been in coffins later laughing and eating with family and strangers made me appreciate the weight of being alive. The octopus and wine were fantastic!

• This festival is also known as the “Romería de Santa Marta de Ribarteme.”
• Santa Marta is revered as the patron saint of survivors.
• Participants who enter the coffins are called “ofrecidos”—those who give thanks for their lives.

The Festival of Near Death is held every year on July 29th in Santa Marta de Ribarteme, Galicia, Spain.