Romeria de la Cruz in Granja de Rocamora

The locals of Granja pay homage to the Cross every September

One of the most important fiestas in the calendar of the small Vega Baja municipality of Granja de Rocamora is the Cruz de Mayo in the first week of May, but the significance of the Holy Cross in Granja is such that there is also a second event every year in September.

Granja de Rocamora is one of the various towns in Spain which has a verified Lignum Crucis (a fragment of the True Cross on which Christ was crucified), hence the importance of the cross in local traditions, and every September a Romería (or pilgrimage procession) is held.

Much flag-waving and merry-making is in evidence as the procession sets out from the Plaza de la Cruz and heads for the Barrio Lo Monecillo, where Mass is celebrated in the local church, and this is followed by the local choir performing the traditional “Arte Payá” outside the church.

The singing continues on the way back to the Plaza de la Cruz, where homage is paid to the Santa Cruz (the Holy Cross) and the local faithful kiss the Lignum Crucis. This is of course a religious occasion, but as with many Spanish fiestas once the protocols have been observed it’s time for food, drinks and music, and the dinner which is offered in the Plaza de la Cruz lasts until the early hours of the morning!

For more local news, events and other information consul the Granja de Rocamora section of Alicante Today.