The Romeria de la Virgen del Fuensanta, Subida Murcia 14th September. Virgin of la Fuensanta returns back home to her sanctuary.
The Romeria de la Virgen del Fuensanta, Subida Murcia 14th September is one of the most important Romerias on the murcian calendar, the Virgin of la Fuensanta being the Patrona of the Capital of the region of Murcia, Murcia City. There are 2 parts to this Romeria, Thursday 2nd when she is brought down from her sanctuary,(bajada) which is high on the hillside driving into Murcia, and then on the 14th, when she returns back home to her sanctuary (subida). The 14th is the day which attracts the greatest participation, over 100,000 people participating in the subida, an enormous mass of people following the virgin back to her sanctuary and lining the route along the way. The Virgen first appeared in el Hondoyuelo, where there is a natural water spring, which became known as the " Fuente Santa" the holy well, or source. A small hermitage to her devotion was built on this site, which has now become the sanctuary of Fuensanta, a distinctive building which nestles in the wooded hillsides and is cared for today by Benedictine Monks. During the Middle ages the Virgen de la Arrixaca was the Patron saint of the city, but during 1694 there was a terrible drought, and despite the entreaties of the population for rain, the Virgen did not intercede and the water deposits remained empty. However, the residents entreated the Virgin of the holy spring to intercede on their behalf, and miraculously, just as her Romeria was concluding, the heavens opened and down came the desperately needed rain. This same thing happened again in another dry year, so, taking the hint, the murcians decided to go where they were obviously being told to go, and made the Virgen de la Fuensanta their patron instead. The figure of the Virgin which is carried down on Thursday is by Jaime Bort and dates from the eighteenth century, and the child she carries is attributed to the master himself, Francisco Salzillo.
Size: 3454px × 5200px
Location: Murcia City South Eastern Spain
Photo credit: © SCFotos - Stuart Crump Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: del, fuensanta, la, murcia, romerias, subida, virgen
