The town of Almoradí is preparing to host, from October 16th to 18th, the XXXIII Provincial Meeting of Confraternities and Brotherhoods of Holy Week for the province of Alicante. This year, the event holds special significance as it commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Major Board of Confraternities and Brotherhoods of Holy Week of Almoradí, established in 1976.
Over three days, the program will include a variety of religious, cultural, and social events. The main objective is to foster the exchange of experiences among the different major boards and to showcase to visitors the rich heritage, deep tradition, and unique way of experiencing Holy Week in Almoradí.
Roberto Cabrera, president of the Major Board of Confraternities and Brotherhoods of Holy Week of Almoradí, explained that the idea to revive the provincial meeting arose as part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations. Almoradí previously hosted a similar event in 1999.
The program will commence on Friday, October 16th, with the arrival of the Diocesan Board and confraternities at the parish of San Andrés Apóstol for the inaugural mass. Saturday, October 17th, the central day, will feature participant registration, lectures at the Teatro Cortés, and a concert in the Plaza de la Constitución. At 7:30 PM, the highlight will be the Magna Procession of Ponsoda, showcasing a significant representation of the local confraternity heritage.
The procession will consist of twelve floats created by the Valencian sculptor José María Ponsoda, nine of which belong to Almoradí's Holy Week traditions, and three others from different towns in the province. The date of October 17th was also chosen to coincide with the anniversary of Ponsoda Bravo's death, making the procession a tribute to the renowned religious imagery artist.
The parish priest of San Andrés Apóstol, Ramón Vicente Cano, emphasized the religious, cultural, and artistic dimensions of the celebration, highlighting it as an expression of faith and popular tradition. The program will conclude on Sunday, October 18th, at the Teatro Cortés with the performance of the Auto Sacramental del Mesías and the screening of an audiovisual about the local Holy Week. Sculptures not participating in the Magna Procession will be on display at the parish church.
The mayor of Almoradí, María Gómez, expressed the municipality's satisfaction in hosting this event on such a significant date for the Major Board and invited public participation.
“"The highlight is the Magna Procession, and it has been a major commitment to showcase our Holy Week to those who come from outside. We want to bring all this imagery to the streets and make it a tribute to Ponsoda."
Through this meeting, Almoradí reaffirms its confraternity heritage and the importance of its Holy Week, while celebrating half a century of history for its Major Board and hosting this provincial event for the second time.
