Algemesí Invites to Experience the Grand Days of the Mare de Déu de la Salut Festival
The city prepares for the festivities on September 7th and 8th, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of its UNESCO declaration.
By Mireia Blasco i Vidal
••3 min read
IA
Generic image of a cultural celebration in the streets of Algemesí during the Mare de Déu de la Salut Festival.
Algemesí is gearing up to celebrate the main events of the Mare de Déu de la Salut Festival on September 7th and 8th, a celebration that this year marks the 15th anniversary of its declaration as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
The program kicks off today, Monday, September 7th, with the traditional Cant de Vespres at the Basílica de Sant Jaume, an event documented since 1610. This moment precedes the descent of the image of the Mare de Déu de la Salut, with the participation of the Schola Cantorum, and leads into the three processions that will extend until the early hours of September 9th, totaling over 15 hours of devotion through the city's streets.
The Processó de les Promeses will begin this year at 9:15 PM, 45 minutes earlier, starting from the plaça Major and proceeding through Molí and Capella streets to the Capella de la Troballa. The procession will include the Misteris i Martiris, along with dances and music passed down through generations.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8th, the Day of the Mare de Déu de la Salut, the festivities will continue at 10:00 AM with the Processoneta del Matí, from the Capella de la Troballa to the plaça Major via Berca street. At midday, the emblematic triple attempt to enter the Mare de Déu into the Basílica de Sant Jaume will take place, while dances perform simultaneously in the square.
The day will culminate with the Processó de Volta General at 7:15 PM, touring the historic center. This procession, the longest, includes biblical characters and will conclude in the early morning, past 2:00 AM, with the solemn entry of the patron saint into the basilica.
The Mare de Déu de la Salut Festivals represent a compendium of Valencian traditions. Around 2,000 people participate annually. The procession includes the Muixerangues, the Misteris i Martiris, and dances such as the Bastonets, Pastoretes, Carxofa, Arquets, Llauradores, and Tornejants. The Gegants join the Processoneta del Matí, and the Volants carry the anda of the Mare de Déu.
Music is fundamental: the tabalet and dolçaina accompany the Muixeranga and many dances. The Llauradores dance to the sound of band instruments, and the drum marks the movements of the Tornejants. The Societat Musical d’Algemesí closes the procession.
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"Algemesí shows an essential part of its identity. These are festivals that cannot be understood just by observing them, but by living them in the streets, listening to the music, and discovering the work of all the people who make it possible for these traditions to continue from generation to generation. On this 15th anniversary of the UNESCO declaration, we especially want to invite people to come to Algemesí and get to know a unique festival up close."
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"The Mare de Déu de la Salut represents one of the greatest cultural and human heritages of Algemesí. Behind every dance, every music, and every procession are centuries of history, entire families, and a town that has managed to keep its tradition alive. Algemesí once again opens its doors to all those who wish to share with us days that are part of our history and our way of being."
