Benidorm prepares to celebrate its patron saint, Sant Jaume

Just a few hours after saying goodbye to the festivities in honour of the Virgen del Carmen, Benidorm is already preparing for the next date in its festive calendar. An appointment "marked in red, since we celebrate our patron, Sant Jaume Apòstol", as recalled by the mayor of Festivities, Jesús Carrobles, who together with the president of the Comissió de Festes Majors Patronals, José Vicente Fuster, has presented today the program of events planned for this commemoration.

Carrobles has pointed out that “in the previous two years, the special circumstances generated by the pandemic forced us to reduce the acts of celebrating Sant Jaume to a minimum; acts that with great enthusiasm and dedication we finally recover in this 2022, as always by the Comissió de Festes Majors Patronals”.

The president of the Comissió, for his part, has advanced that "the programming starts on Saturday, the 23rd, with the traditional Sopar de Sant Jaume, which will be followed by a festival with popular prices in Plaça de Castelar". The next day, at 9:00 p.m., the Rondalla of the Associació Cultural i Recreativa 'La Barqueta' will offer a commemorative concert in honour of the patron saint in the church of Sant Jaume and Santa Ana.

The bulk of the events will be held on Monday 25, the day of Sant Jaume. The day will start with an aerial bombardment at noon in the Plaça de Castelar. In the afternoon, at 7:30 p.m. in Plaça del Torrejó, and after the parade and collection of the image of Santiago Apóstol, the poster announcing the Festes Majors Patronals will be presented. Then, at 8:30 p.m. in the church of Sant Jaume and Santa Ana, a Eucharist will be officiated in honour of the patron saint, sung and played on the organ by the parish group.
After the mass, in Plaça de Sant Jaume the 'Estampeta' of the saint and the Queens, Aila Merenciano and Chloe d'Hebboudt, will be fired, and their bridesmaids will dance the traditional 'peuet' dance, which will be followed by a castle of fireworks from the prestigious Ricasa pyrotechnics. At the end of the festival, a popular verbena will take place in Plaça de Castelar.

The Councilor for Fiestas has invited "residents and tourists to accompany Benidorm on their patron saint's day and to intensely enjoy all these acts".