La Mare de Déu del Sofratge is rescued undamaged from the flames in the staging of the Find

Several thousand people gathered last night on the Levante beach to attend the recreation of the Find of the Mare de Déu del Sofratge, the patron saint of Benidorm that, as every year since 1971, has been staged by the Asociación Cultural Recreativa La Barqueta on a text written by the historian Pere María Orts i Bosch.
This year marks the 50th anniversary since the performance based on historical events began, which brings Benidorm in March 1740 and recalls the events that took place then.
A recreation in which more than fifty people took part in which it is staged how the inhabitants of the then fishing village that was Benidorm, found the image of their patron, without any damage, among the ashes of a shipwrecked llondro that had been burned to prevent a possible contagion of the plague.
At the conclusion of the staging, several salutes of honor were fired by the Alicante pyrotechnics company Hermanos Sirvent.
After this representation, which started the applause of those present and the emotion in many of them, the pilgrimage began to Plaza de San Jaime, where the Offering of Flowers to the patroness took place. The pilgrimage, which this year varied its route, began on Avenida del Mediterráneo and continued Plaza de la Hispanidad, Calle Gambo, Martínez Alejos, Plaza de la Creu, Calle Alameda and Calle Mayor.
The Major and Infant Queens and their courts of honor, the standard-bearer, the mayorales and majors of honor, the ACR La Barqueta, more than a hundred clubs, regional houses and other cultural entities took part in it.
Among the authorities and personalities present were the mayor Toni Pérez, members of the municipal corporation, the president of the Provincial Council, Carlos Mazón; the Minister of Health, Ana Barceló; the mayor of Manizales, Carlos Mario Marín; the national deputy Agustín Almodóbar and the regional deputy, Manuel Pérez Fenoll, among others. Also the president of the Commission, Batiste Rostoll, that of the Associació de Penyes, Adrián Romero, the standard bearer Vicente Fuster, the waitresses of the Virgin, the 'mariners de la Verge' and the bearers of Sant Jaume, as well as the parish priest D. Juan Antonio González Magaña.
At the end of the Offering, the Infant Queen, Sofía Fuster, read a verse to the patron, composed by Vicenta Pérez Bayona. In it she recited to the Virgin that "just seeing you brings joy back to Benidorm" and she asked "peace to Earth, that diseases and health for the whole world will end."
Later, the Queen Mayor, Paula Pérez, addressed a few words to the people of Benidorm in which she referred to the pandemic and assured that "we have overcome all the difficulties to find ourselves here." The Greater Queen thanked the Commission and its president for all her work and gave “congratulations to the Infant Queen. "I will save all the emotions experienced in this time because these will be the festivals of hope" she affirmed.
This was followed by the proclamation, which was given by Cristina Escoda Santamaría, who recounted moments of her first offering or her trajectory in the world of the party. "The moment you deliver the bouquet to the Mare de Déu is magical," she said, before pointing out that "being a herald is a dream that I could never imagine and that I will never thank enough for." Escoda made a proclamation in which she highlighted the role of women "who have made us get to where we are today."
After the proclamation and the official proclamation of the beginning of the Festes, the president of the Commission, Batiste Rostoll, spoke, saying that he was “proud to be able to celebrate the great days of the city and to see again the light and normality that we need so much. ”.
The event was closed by Mayor Toni Pérez, who addressed the patroness to tell her that "Benidorm has returned to you" and added that "there is an explosion of spirit in the streets to accompany you." The first mayor also asked for applause for the "example" given by the president of clubs, Adrián Romero, and the clubs themselves, "which are the soul and the atmosphere of the party" and stressed that they had understood "that the other party it can wait". Pérez also asked for another applause for the Comissió "for their effort to be able to be here today", before wishing "molt bones festes" to Benidorm.
The interpretation of the hymns of Benidorm and the Valencian Community, as well as the firing of a bouquet of fireworks from the Plaza de la Senyoría put the end to the acts on Saturday, the first official day of the Festes Majors Patronals.