Benidorm will receive the patroness saint of Valencia on the 70th anniversary of the journey of the Virgin of Sufragio to the capital of Túria

The city of Benidorm will receive the Mare de Déu dels Desamparats, patroness saint of Valencia, next September, coinciding with the celebration of the 'Holy Year of Vicentino' - of which the parish of San Jaime and Santa Ana is a jubilee temple - and with the 70th anniversary of the journey of the Virgin of Suffrage to the capital of Túria.

This has been announced today by the mayor, Toni Pérez; the councilman of Fiestas, Jesús Carrobles; and the parish priest of the parish of San Jaime and Santa Ana, Juan Antonio González. This visit, which will take place from September 16 to 23, is organized by the parish community of San Jaime and Santa Ana and has the collaboration of the City Council, the maids of the Mare de Déu del Sofratge, the ARC La Barqueta and the Commission of Major Festivities.

The mayor has indicated that this visit is "an important event" that "the people will follow with great fervor" and "a very worthy event to celebrate". Pérez recalled that in 1948 the patron saint of Benidorm "moved to Valencia to pay homage to the Mare de Déu dels Desamparats"; a visit "that later returned it in 1998 coinciding with the 50th anniversary" of that trip.

The parish priest of San Jaime has indicated that, recalling that trip of the patroness saint of Benidorm by boat to Valencia, "we want the arrival of the Virgin of the Homeless to our city," scheduled for September 16, "be by sea " After his arrival in port, where he will be received by the image of the Virgin of Suffrage, the idea is to celebrate "a Eucharist in the Plaza of SSMM Kings of Spain" officiated by the Bishop of the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, and then "make a pilgrimage to the parish "of San Jaime and Santa Ana.

From the parish community, collaboration has been requested to the brotherhoods of San Jaime and Santa Ana, Mariners of the Mare de Déu del Sofratge and Els Costalers de Sant Jaume for the pilgrimage, since "28 carriers per shift are needed".

In San Jaime and Santa Ana the image of the Mare de Déu dels Desamparats will remain for "one week", the longest period that the patroness has been absent from the city of Valencia. Throughout the week there will be different acts such as concerts or conferences, and homilies will be held each day officiated by the owner of one of the parishes of Benidorm.

As a closure to this visit, on September 23 a farewell mass is planned, after which the image of the patroness saint of Valencia will be transferred to the port from where she will embark for the capital of Túria.