THE ROMERIA DE EL ROCIO;THE PENTECOST PILGRIMAGE IN ANDALUCIA
THE ROMERIA DE EL ROCIO PENTECOST PILGRIMAGE IN ANDALUCIA A pilgrimage to the Hermitage of El Rocio Almonte, in Andalucia in honour of Our Lady of the Dew starts on the second day of Pentecost, finishing on Whitsunday. Our Lady of the Dew has been venerated there at least since the 13th century, although the current ornamentation of the statue dates from 1653. The pilgrims come on horseback and in gaily decorated wagons and the pilgrimage itself becomes a colourful and noisy celebration. On Pentecost Monday the Blessed Virgin is brought from the church and the hermandades, (brotherhoods) carry the statue - the statue is passed from one brotherhood to another. The Hermitage at the site dates from the late 13th century or early 14th century. The statue is theological – Our Lady is looking down at the Christ child – leading us to Christ. The statue is very early but it is dressed in later dressing (16th or 17th century). A site called Spanish Fiestas (from which some of the images a...