More than 2,000 people attended the mass held at Plaza de SS MM los Reyes de España, officiated by the bishop of Orihuela-Alicante diocese, José Ignacio Munilla
Benidorm concludes the events of the Centenary of the Coronation of Verge del Sofratge fpllowed by large number of people
The Virgin has received a gold brooch in the shape of a crown, which was presented to her during the religious ceremony and which reaffirms the affection and devotion of her people
Benidorm concluded the commemorative events for the centenary of the Coronation of its patroness saint, the Virgin of Suffrage, in a day that drew massive crowds of the faithful and devotees of the Virgin, as has been the case since the unveiling on December 9th of the poster announcing the anniversary, a work by Mari Carmen Zaragoza Soriano, and the hymn composed for the occasion, written by Juan Antonio Espinosa with lyrics by Pep Zaragoza Pérez, ‘Pep el Carreró’.
Today, Sunday, marked the culmination and highlight of a comprehensive program of events, which concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative tile on Alameda Street, named after Mayor Pedro Zaragoza Orts, at the intersection with Calle Mayor, the exact spot where the patron saint was crowned in 1926.
The events were attended by the municipal council, headed by Mayor Toni Pérez, as well as the President of the Generalitat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, regional and provincial authorities such as Regional Minister José Antonio Rovira, Senators Gerardo Camps and Agustín Almodóbar, and Regional Deputies José Ramón González de Zárate and Manuel Pérez Fenoll. Also present were the queens of the Patroness Saint Festivities, Laura Ivars and Carmen Guillem, with their courts of honour, the President of the Commission, Ramón Cano, and numerous representatives from across the city's civil society.
The program, however, underwent some changes. Thus, the planned aerial bombardment was suspended due to the wind, and the route for the procession of the Virgin's image from the Church of San Jaime to the Plaza de SS MM Los Reyes de España was also modified, avoiding Levante Beach for the same reason. Instead, it proceeded along Pérez Martorell and Martínez Alejos streets, then to Herrerías Street and finally to the Plaza de SS MM Los Reyes de España. The image was carried on the shoulders of the "Mariners de la Mare de Déu" (Sailors of the Virgin Mary) before hundreds of people gathered along the route. Local festival associations, the Associació de Penyes (Association of Festival Clubs), the Comissió de Festes Majors Patronals (Commission of Major Patron Saint Festivals), and the city's three marching bands, among others, participated in the procession.
Once in the square, at 11:30 a.m., the religious ceremony began: a Thanksgiving Mass presided over by the Bishop of the Orihuela-Alicante Diocese, José Ignacio Munilla Aguirre, accompanied by all the priests of the town. The Mass was sung by the Benidorm Choral Group and featured the participation of the town's bands: Unión Musical, Societat Musical L’Illa, and Societat Musical La Nova, as well as the collaboration of the Camerata Ars Cantica, the ACR La Barqueta, and the singers of the Centenary hymn. Parish priest Juan Antonio González thanked each of them, as well as the Centenary Committee, individually for "their much hard work." González also expressed his gratitude to the composer of the hymn, Juan Antonio Espinosa; the designer of the poster and logo, Mari Carmen Zaragoza; "and the people of Benidorm for their generous collaboration."
During the ceremony, the Virgin was presented with a gold brooch in the shape of a crown, bearing the names of the people of Benidorm who contributed to its creation. This brooch reaffirms the affection and devotion of the people of Benidorm on the centenary of her proclamation and coronation as patroness saint. The Mass concluded with the performance of the Centenary anthem and the firing of a mascletà (firecracker display) from the Óscar Esplá Auditorium.
Later, around 1 p.m., the procession returned to the Church of San Jaime. During this procession, at the end of Alameda Street and the beginning of Mayor Street, Mayor Toni Pérez and Bishop José Ignacio Munilla unveiled the commemorative Centenary tile. The events concluded with the playing of the national anthem upon the arrival of the Virgin at the church, where she was returned to her chapel amidst the fervour of hundreds of faithful who followed the entire journey.
