Hundreds of neighbors gather in a celebration that will culminate tomorrow with the blessing of the animals
Benidorm celebrates the festival of Sant Antoni with the pilgrimage and offering to the saint in the Ermita de Sanz and the proclamation by Vicente Fuster
Benidorm celebrates this week the festival of Sant Antoni Abad, one of the most traditional in the city and l'Horta area. Hundreds of Benidorm residents gathered today, Saturday, at the Hermitage of Sanz in a festival that had as its main celebrations the pilgrimage from the Trinquet, the offering to the saint, the proclamation and fireworks. A day that ended with the awards ceremony for the pilot trophy.
The pilgrimage began today's festivities, leaving at 5:30 p.m. from the Vicente Pérez Devesa trinquet. The committees of the Sant Antoni, San Isidro and Roser festivals, the Fests Majors Patronals, the Associació de Penyes and the ladies of the FMP, headed by their new queens, Valentina Almodóbar and Laia Zamora, have participated in it. Local authorities have also met, with Mayor Toni Pérez, Fiestas Councilor Mariló Cebreros and members of the corporation, as well as Senator Agustín Almodóbar and regional deputy José Ramón González de Zárate. Walking with them were the president of the Sant Antoni Commission, Juan Pedro López Villar, and the president of the Patronal Major Festivals Commission, María Dolores Cano.
Upon arrival at the Hermitage, the traditional offering was made by the festive entities and the authorities, inside the installed tent, and the proclamation was read, the work of Vicente Fuster, who noted “the great honour and responsibility” to be this year's crier. Fuster has reviewed “my memories of childhood and youth, which include the years after the post-war until the beginning of the seventies” and also the residents of l'Horta who visited his well-known radio program 'Gent de Benidorm' on the municipal radio station Onda Benidorm and others who also shared years of youth with him.
Fuster has told what l'Horta neighbourhood that he knew when he was young was like, the houses, the establishments and even their owners. He has recalled, among numerous quotes, “the 'raspall pilot' games that were played on the road in front of the La Valenciana inn, “the social centre of the neighbourhood,” and how the game had to be stopped “when, from time to time "So much so, a car or a truck passed by."
He has also referred to the Hermitage, built-in 1740 by Tomás Sanz, which had numerous images that were burned in the Civil War, as well as the disappearance of a gold-embroidered tablecloth that was on the altar. Vicente Fuster concluded by wishing “that these festivities in honour of Sant Antoni continue to be maintained for many years and, if possible, be revitalized.”
Immediately afterwards, the bow tie was imposed on the festive entities and then Juan Pedro López Villar, president of the Sant Antoni Commission, highlighted in his words his “commitment to holding festivities that are a cultural and religious manifestation that makes us remember our history.” and traditions. “A way of living and transmitting customs.” López has expressed the objective of “meeting people's expectations and ensuring that they have good memories” and to do so “you have to put emotion into it because this is much more than a party, a mass and a picaeta.”
In that sense, the president of the commission has indicated that these celebrations "are important for the people of the garden and that is why we are obliged to give one hundred per cent because it is what these people deserve." He has also thanked “the help of María del Sufragio for all the advice you have given me from the first day”, a thank you that he has extended to “the girls of l'Horta for their work”, to the mayor, the City Council and the councillor of Fiestas, in addition to “the members of my commission, very committed to the party and the people of l'Horta neighbourhood.” And finally, to his wife, Ana Soliveres “for always being there.”
For his part, Mayor Toni Pérez thanked “everyone who is here today” in his speech and stressed “the admirable work that the Commission has done.” Pérez praised the proclamation “which told us about the life of Vicente Fuster and the history of the Hermitage, built in 1740, when people lived in the orchard” and specified that in the hermitage itself there is “the “oldest part of the city, in the sacristy.” The mayor concluded by assuring that "here we all accompany each other and celebrate the party together because in this party we put our best, our heart."
After the anthem of Benidorm and the Valencian Community, the traditional copletes were sung by the ladies and queens of the Festes Majors Patronals. Then the torch was fired and the event concluded with fireworks.
