The Virgin of Suffrage, untouched by the flames in the staging of the Finding

Thousands of people congregated in the evening of yesterday in Poniente promenade, next to Park of Elche, in the traditional recreation of the Finding of the Virgin of the Sufragio, festival of Autonomic Tourist Interest, staged since 1971 by the Recreational Cultural Association La Barqueta '.

The staging, on a text by Pere Maria Orts i Bosch, recreates how the inhabitants of the then fishing village Benidorm, found the image of their patron among the ashes of a shipwrecked llondro that was burned to prevent a possible contagion of the plague.

After the performance, began the pilgrimage that toured the Paseo de la Carretera, Alameda, Calle Mayor to reach the Plaza de San Jaime and brings together the festive, cultural and religious entities of the city to honor their patron, with an offering of flowers at the doors of the Parish Church of San Jaime and Santa Ana.

Emotional proclamation by Juan Ángel Ferrer

After the offering, the Infant Queen, Àngela Antón, recited a verse to the patron saint, and the Queen, Anna Galiana, addressed to the audience some emotional words recalling her connection as a child to the patron saint festivities and the support received by her family and friends.

Then, Juan Ángel Ferrer was in charge of reading the official proclamation of the Festes Majors Patronals 2017. Ferrer gave a review of the history of the city and recalled that the patron arrived in the city "in a shipwreck", as those who They appear every day on the pages of the news, starring people looking for a better place to live. He also emphasized the party "that unites people" and to which "everyone has a right". The words of Ferrer, accompanied by an exquisite and careful staging, thrilled those present and were answered with the most unanimous applause. After the proclamation, the president of the Comissió de Festes Majors Patronals, Antonio Vicente Fuster, and the mayor, Toni Pérez, took the floor, thanking the words of the town crier to whom he delivered the city's badge.

In this emotional ceremony was present the councilman of Fiestas, Jesus Carrobles, members of the municipal groups, the national deputy, Joan Baldobí, the senator for Alicante, Agustín Almodóbar and the regional deputy, Manuel Pérez Fenoll, as well as representatives of all groups social and festive of the city.