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The tradition about the presence of witches in the Penedès and, in particular, in Calafell, is so rooted that there is even a character who personifies it: Pepa Barretines.
It appears in the popular imagination at the end of the 19th century, although Joan Amades did not include it in his Catalan costume. It is believed that she was a witch who lived in the castle, in the small "communor" (escanceradero), located on the vaults of the Romanesque church, next to the belfry of the bells and dominating the cemetery.
This witch from Calafell, according to the legends of the noucentista era, was an evil character, who caused hailstorms on the crops, brought diseases to many people, was an expert in love philtres, invoked the spirits of the deceased, cast spells and even took the children.
The "communal" of the castle of Calafell was built as a square tower, with two floors and openings to the four winds. It is quite unique, since the majority are found in the Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees, above all, in the domains of the bishopric of Vic.
These "communicators" were used to conjure ("communicate"). Despite the legend of Pepa Barretines, these rooms, which were located near the church, actually allowed the priest to exorcise storms, hailstorms and other adverse weather phenomena.
The "communors" were, therefore, fully integrated into the traditional Christian liturgy and had an important significance at the level of beliefs, since the priest invoked to divert or undo storms that could spoil the fields and crops.
