Valencia will host celebrations in honor of the Holy Virgin Mary, patroness of the Miserables from May 9 to 12
Valencia will host large-scale celebrations in honor of the city’s patron saint, Virgen de los Desamparados from May 9 to 12. Valencians also call it La Geperudeta and Mare de Déu. A rich program awaits visitors to the city, which includes numerous daily masses and other events. A complete list can be found on the Valencia City Council website.
And we invite you to get acquainted with the most striking festival events worth visiting for an unforgettable experience. The epicenter of most of them will be the Royal Basilica of the Holy Virgin Mary, Patron of the Misfits (Basílica de la Virgen de los Desamparados). Its facade is generously decorated with flowers for the holiday.
On Friday 10 May, the Valencian folk dance Dansà will be performed in the Plaza de la Virgen in front of the Basilica. Children’s groups are scheduled to perform at 8:00 p.m., and adults will perform at 11:00 p.m.
On Saturday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m., folklore dance groups will present their skills here. On the same day at 10:00 p.m., a festive concert of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Valencia will take place in the square.
Around midnight, head to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to watch the night’s mascleta (pyrotechnic show). And then return to the Plaza de la Virgen, where dance performances will continue with the participation of the Folklore Federation of the Valencian Community.
On the main day of celebration, May 12, several masses will be held in the basilica, starting at 05:00 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., be prepared to witness the grand procession of the Mare de Déu statue being transferred from the basilica to the Valencia Cathedral. Tens of thousands of citizens take part in it, dedicating poems to their beloved patroness and showering her with flower petals.
A papal mass will take place in the cathedral at noon. This will be followed by a mascleta from Pirotecnia Aitana at 2:00 p.m. at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. At 5:30 p.m. a general procession with falla sculptures will begin. At 6:30 p.m. — Processó General, during which the statue of Virgen de los Desamparados will return to the basilica.
Another festival event that we recommend you attend is the Ronda a la Verge concert at the Plaza de la Virgen. It traditionally takes place on the Monday after the main festivities, and this custom has been around for decades. The concert is organized by the Bancaja Foundation with the participation of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Valencia, the famous choral group Orfeó Valencià, and other music and dance groups.
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Photo from 7televalencia.com
