True devotion Costa de Almeria • Issue No. 2042 • 22 - 28 Aug 2024
ALMERIA proved its devotion on Sunday August 18 with a beautiful day in celebration of the Virgin of the Sea. The Assumption of Mary is a Spanish national holiday observed annually in honour of the Virgin Mary, commemorating the patron saint’s ascension into Heaven. Across the nation, it is celebrated with fairs, parades, games, competitions, whimsical costumes and religious traditions. On August 17, 2024 the Virgin Mary left her sanctuary for the Almeria Cathedral to spend the coming days at the fair, on the occasion of the Holy Year and the 500th anniversary of the temple of the Diocese. At 11am, the bells rang and the doors of the Royal Convent of Santo Domingo opened with a brief procession which included a special component this year; the descendants of the two families who saved the statue of the Virgin of the Sea from destruction in the Civil War. Both families received a heartfelt tribute on the corner of the old Virgen del Mar Hospital, while the patron saint’s hymn played and the statue received a petal. In the afternoon, the usual religious services were held as the Virgin of the Sea was placed on the main altar, with Saint Indalecio by her side, accompanied by a floral decoration by Lales Martinez.
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Credit: Hermandad Virgen del Mar, Patrona de Almeria /fb
Almeria celebrated the transfer of the Blessed Virgin of the Crown Sea to the cathedral.
This marked the beginning of the seven-day festivities in honour of the Virgin of the Sea, with a mass held by Gines Beltran, bishop of the Diocese of Getafe. Then came the highlight of the day, the sermon to the Virgin Mary, by Eduardo Blanes. It was a devotional sermon going through the roots of Almeria and the presence of the patron saint, dedicated to her; “The more we look at you, the image fades and we
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find the essence: we find the Virgin Mary. We love you, Mary” said the herald. Following the Assumption of Mary are seven days of celebration, through fun events, community-driven
activities, sport, entertainment, music, gastronomy, arts and crafts, markets and fairgrounds, all in honour of Almeria, its people and its patron saint, The Holy Virgin of the Sea, Mary.
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