Castelló |Rosabel Tavera (EFE).- As every third Sunday of Lent, the city of Castelló becomes the starting point for the Romeria de les Canyes, the collective pilgrimage of a town that remembers its origins and that this year has counted with an overwhelming participation of 170,000 pilgrims who have lined up the road that separates La Plana from the hermitage of La Magdalena under a splendid sun.
After having suffered a two-year hiatus due to the covid pandemic and having celebrated a Magdalena in 2022 at half throttle due to a heavy rainstorm, the people of Castellón and visitors have launched en masse to participate in this demonstration collective party.
The Castelló City Council has distributed this year 25,000 reeds and 8,500 rolls among the participants of the most massive act of the Magdalena. According to the Local Police, this year there have been 170,000 people who have participated in the Romeria, compared to the 55,000 who did last year.
Shortly after dawn, from the top of the Fadrí, the Vicente bell called to the party, ringing loudly to encourage the start of the founding journey. Little by little, the Plaza Mayor has been filling up with families, “collas” of friends and members of the festive entities, dressed in the black smock, the green scarf and brandishing the cane with the green ribbon.
An 8 kilometer historical tour
Prepared to start the 8-kilometre path, the pilgrimage has been joined by thousands of people who have recovered the tradition of starting this historic path from the maritime district and are starting the march from El Grao.
Before leaving, however, many have “gained strength” with the traditional “figa i dosset”, a delicacy in the form of a fig fritter accompanied by mistela or brandy or a “barreja”, in the stalls that the bars in the square de la Pescadería prepare for the occasion.
After the pilgrimage mass, the official delegation has left the Plaza Mayor headed by the Colla de Dolçainers i Tabaleters de Castelló, followed by representatives of festive entities, gaiatas and other guests, and the queens of the festivities. Then the political representatives also left, with the president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, the Minister of Science and Innovation, Diana Morant, the president of the PPCV, Carlos Mazón, or the deputy in the Compromís Congress, Joan Baldoví, among others. .
Everyone has left for Sant Roc de Canet to have lunch some of the typical sandwiches of the Romeria such as the “ximo” from Castelló, the broad bean omelette, the “coca de tomata”, and also here the traditional “figa y doset” and continue then towards the hermitage, where the pilgrims have been arriving with a festive atmosphere, music, “dançà”, songs and many displays of joy.
Temperatures have exceeded 25 degrees
In the hermitage many are encouraged to ring the bell, which does not stop ringing throughout the morning, they take the opportunity to find a shady area, especially this year with the high temperatures that will exceed 25 degrees, and they will taste either the food prepared in home or one of the 8,000 portions of paella that will be distributed.
After mass and lunch, every year more people from Castellón are encouraged to walk back, known as the “tornà” since, in reality, it is the true essence of the founding of the city, and they head for the old Roman road from Caminás to the basilica of the Virgen del Lledó because, as tradition dictates: “If you go to La Magdalena and don’t stop at Lledó, you can’t say with your mouth full that you are the son of Castellón”.
During the “tornà” several stops are made in which ancient joys are sung, and later today’s festive day, known as “Magdalena, full party”, culminates at night with the parade of the “gaiatas”.
The monuments of light will start from San Roque street (Forn del Pla), to go through several streets in the center of the city and end on Rey don Jaume avenue.
The music and the party will close a day full of events, with performances by different bands, groups and DJs throughout the city and which will last until dawn before the festive Monday of Magdalena with the Pregó Infantil as the protagonist and the first day of the XXVII Mascletaes Contest with the fireworks of the Burrianense Reyes Martí.