Benidorm commemorates the 283rd anniversary of the discovery of its patroness saint, Mare de Déu del Sofratge

Like every March, Benidorm celebrates the anniversary of the discovery of its patron saint, the Mare de Déu del Sofratge. In 2023, the 283rd anniversary is commemorated with a series of events organized by the Comissió de Festes Majors Patronals with the collaboration of the Department of Fiestas.

The mayor of the area, Jesús Carrobles, together with the president of the Comissió, Vicente Solaz, have informed today about all the events scheduled for this event that start this Saturday, March 11, with the traditional offering in honor of the Virgin. At 5:00 p.m., the Queens and Dames of the Festes Majors Patronals, Festes Committee, Standard Bearer and family and Mayorales de Honor will go out in a parade from the Casa del Fester to collect the image of the Mare de Déu del Sofratge at the headquarters of the Recreational Cultural Association 'La Barqueta' and go to Paseo de Colón.

From this point, the pilgrimage will start at 6:00 p.m., which will cover the Paseo de la Carretera, Alameda, Calle Mayor, and Plaza de Sant Jaume. Next, the child queen, Daniela Talavera, will recite some verses in honor of the patron saint, and the older queen, Angélica Morenilla, will address a few words to the people of Benidorm. To finish, a fireworks display will go off in the Plaça de la Senyoria.

The other great event will be on Thursday, March 16, in which Benidorm will dawn with l'Alba, an act in which the people of Benidorm can hold the image of the patron saint in their arms on their way from the church of Sant Jaume i Santa Ana to the city beaches. As usual, that day will start at 05:30 with the opening of the doors. Then, at around 06:00, the procession will begin that will take the image of the Mare de Déu del Sofratge to go through the main streets of the Old Town and visit the three beaches. At 07:30 a.m. the traditional Thanksgiving Mass will take place and afterward a breakfast will be offered in Plaça de Sant Jaume.

The day of March 16, the day the image of the Virgin was found in 1740, will continue at noon with the general ringing of bells in the church of Sant Jaume and Santa Ana. In the afternoon, at 7:30 p.m. the new Standard Bearer and the Mayorales de Honor of 2023. Next, a mass will be celebrated in honor of the patron saint.

Carrobles and Solaz have invited the public "to participate enthusiastically in all the events scheduled to celebrate and commemorate the anniversary of the discovery of our patron saint."

Rest of the events program

Within the program of commemorative events for the 283rd anniversary of the arrival of the patron saint in Benidorm, on Sunday March 12, there will be a concert by the ACR rondalla 'La Barqueta' at 8:00 p.m. in the church of Sant Jaume i Santa Ana. The following day, at the entity's headquarters, on Calle Tomás Ortuño, the exhibition 'Mare de Déu i la festa' will be presented.

On Wednesday, the 15th, at 7:30 p.m., a colloquium talk 'Historia de una copleta' has been scheduled with the participation of recognized figures linked to the Festes Majors Patronals and the patron saint such as Eusebi Chiner, Igna Martínez, Magdalena Simarro and Paco Bessó .

Finally, on Friday, March 17, the prizes and diplomas of the XX School Drawing and Painting Contest of 'La Barqueta' will be released at 6:00 p.m. in the Assembly Hall of the Town Hall.