Benidorm honors its patron saint with a solemn procession through the streets of the old town

Hundreds of people accompanied Saint James the Apostle in procession through the streets of Benidorm's old town this evening, in the solemn procession that the town's residents dedicate to their patron saint on the third day of the Major Patron Festivities, which celebrates the saint. The doors of the Church of Saint James and Saint Anne opened shortly before 7:30 p.m. to demonstrate the devotion of the people to the Apostle, who once again participated massively in this procession, as they did on Sunday with the procession of Our Lady of Suffrage.

The procession departed from the church door and solemnly made its way along Calle Mayor, Alameda del Alcalde Pedro Zaragoza Orts, Paseo de la Carretera, Santa Faz, Mal Pas, and Plaza de San Jaime. Many residents and tourists gathered both to participate and to watch the procession.

The mayor, Toni Pérez, along with the councillor for Fiestas, Mariló Cebreros; numerous members of the municipal council; the general director, Angélica Such; and the regional deputies, José Ramón González de Zárate and Manuel Pérez Fenoll, presided over the procession alongside priests Jaume Benaloy and Juan Antonio González, representing the parish, and the presidents of the Festival Committee and the Association of Supporters' Clubs, Susana Martínez and Jonathan López.

A few meters ahead of them, the image of Benidorm's patron saint was carried in procession on the shoulders of the Costalers de Sant Jaume (bearers of the statue of Saint James), preceded by the queens of the 2025 Patron Saint Festival, Paula Pascual Sánchez and Aitana Pérez Gutiérrez, along with their courts of honor; the festival's herald, Francisco Saval Román, and his family; and the standard-bearer, Jaime Llorca, and his family. Mayors and women dressed in traditional Manola attire, and the image of the Virgin of Suffrage, carried on the shoulders of her Mariners and accompanied by the Caramareres de la Mare de Déu, as well as hundreds of residents and the bands of the town's three musical societies.

At the end, back in Sant Jaume Square, the traditional firework display was lit, illuminating the darkened night. Next, inside the parish church, as is tradition, parish priest Juan Antonio González read aloud the list of the 92 candidates who have registered to organise the upcoming 2026 Patron Saint Festivities.

Later that evening, live music will take centre stage, featuring the local band ‘Niños de Oro’ in the Huerto de Colón, followed by a concert by ‘Despistaos’ in the Plaza de SS MM los Reyes de España. Afterwards, a ‘correfocs’ (fire run) will be organised by the Colla Dimonis Rafolins.

Tuesday's events will begin with a popular hot chocolate gathering in the festival organisers' tent at 9:00 a.m., and at 10:30 a.m., a solemn requiem mass will be celebrated in the Church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna. At the end of the procession, a laurel wreath will be laid at the monument to those who died at sea in Plaça de la Senyoria, after which the city's two cemeteries will be visited to remember the deceased.

In the afternoon, starting at 7:00 p.m., the "Parade of Humour," organised by the Associació de Penyes Verge del Sofratge, will depart from Carrer Venus. A total of nine groups have registered to participate.

The Patron Saint Festivities will continue with dozens of activities of all kinds until Wednesday, November 12. The complete program of events can be found on the municipal website – via the following link https://benidorm.org/es/ayuntamiento/concejalias/fiestas/fiestas-mayore… – as well as on all official communication channels of the Benidorm City Council.