Benidorm celebrates Sant Antoni's festivity with the pilgrimage and the offering to the saint in Ermita de Sanz

Benidorm has once again celebrated the festivity of Sant Antoni Abad, one of the most traditional in the city and in La l'Horta area, and it has done so by recovering the normality that was lost due to the pandemic. Thus, hundreds of Benidorm people have gathered at the Hermita de Sanz in a festival that has had as its main point the pilgrimage from the Trinquet, the offering to the saint, the proclamation, and the fireworks.

The pilgrimage began today's festivities, Saturday, with departure at 5:30 p.m. from the Vicente Pérez Devesa Trinquet. The commissions of Sant Antoni, San Isidro, and El Roser festivities, the Fests Majors Patronals, the Associació de Penyes, and the court of honor of the FMP, headed by their queens Angélica Morenilla and Daniela Talavera, participated in it. The local authorities also met, with the mayor Toni Pérez, the councilor for Fiestas Jesús Carrobles, and members of the corporation. Walking with them the president of the Sant Antoni Commission was , José María Fuster, and the president of the Comissió de Festes Majors Patronals, Vicente Solaz.

Upon arrival at the Hermita de Sanz, the traditional offering was made, inside the tent installed, by the festive entities and the authorities, and the proclamation was read, the work of Jaume Ripoll, which began by saying that "here in I find my refuge in the orchard because the orchard has given me the possibility of being who I am”. Ripoll recalled his relationship with this enclave of Benidorm and highlighted the values of "friendship, collective memory, equality, love and tolerance as the values of Benidorm".

He has asked Sant Antoni "to show us the path that leads to peace, to stop the wars that kill cruelly and to enjoy the holidays with joy". The town crier also reviewed the representative figures of this festival and the women who have been important in his life.

Immediately afterward, the bowtie was imposed on the festive entities, which was joined by the Fiesta del Carmen, and later José María Fuster, president of Sant Antoni Commission, highlighted in his words that "these festivities represent our customs and identity ”. He congratulated everyone for the work done and the Department of Fiestas for the help received. Also to Vicente Solaz, president of the FMP "for your help and friendship" and "to a very special person such as María del Sufragio".

For his part, the mayor thanked "everyone who is here today" and stressed the importance "of all the people Jaime named in his proclamation, who have made it possible for us to be here today and have this party." Toni Pérez also valued the fact that "we have returned to normality, and 1,100 days later we can have the party we want to have".

The mayor also had a few words towards Jaime Ripoll and the memory that he has made towards people "some of whom are no longer here", but he stated that "we are celebrating, we are going to smile, celebrate as we want and thank you for organizing this party for everyone”.

After the hymn of Benidorm and the Valencian Community, the traditional songs were sung by the court of honor and the queens of the Festes Majors Patronals.

Then the fireworks were fired and the act concluded.