La Mercè (Catalan pronunciation: [ɫə mərˈsɛ]) is the annual festival (festa major in Catalan) of the city of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. It has been an official city holiday since 1871, when the local government first organized a program of special activities to observe the Roman Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mercy, La Mare de Déu de la Mercè in Catalan.