Still not clear if the Holy Tuesday procession would go ahead and with their eyes fixed on the sky, the San Juanistas gathered in the Artillery Park to recognize the work and support of fifteen people and entities with the California group. It is the ceremony in which the Californios present distinctions to brothers, soldiers and collaborators who throughout the year have stood out for their work in helping their processions take to the streets. The group's chronicler, Luis Linares Ferrando, was in charge of directing this event, which was attended by almost a hundred guests, most of them members of the group.
The event was chaired by the mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo, the older brother of the California Brotherhood, Pedro Ayala, the president of the San Juan Group, Francisco Manuel Pozo, the colonel chief of the 73rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, Carlos Quijano, and director of the Military Historical Museum of Cartagena, Army Commander Ernesto Terry Andrés.
«Tradition and devotion are fundamental pillars of our culture and Holy Week is its most important celebration. The processional machinery is already in motion so that Cartagena lives with enthusiasm, vigor and feeling its passion week, where through its processes and different acts we will remember the mysteries of passion, because Holy Week is the greatest sentimental heritage of Cartagena,” Linares assured.
The vice president of the Port Authority, Pedro Pablo Hernández, was named knight of honor
“Holy Tuesday is a very beloved and emblematic day for San Juan Californians, with the image of these historic walls of the Real Parque de la Artillería coming out,” continued the presenter of the event. The morning of Holy Tuesday is one of preparations, it is used to finalize the placement of the flower and to review the last details so that everything looks radiant at night in front of thousands of people. Due to the rain, which made an appearance in the morning of Cartagena, they had to modify some of these activities, including the placement of the floral decorations on the throne of San Juan, which is traditionally carried out in this second patio of the artillery park. , and yet this year it was in the warehouse on Wssel Street in Guimbarda.
The War Band of the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment number 73, which accompanies San Juan in his passionate parades through the streets of Cartagena, received the first recognition. They made special mention of some for whom it was their first year, such as Noemí Párraga Cano, or Miguel Mendoza Moreno, and others who, on the contrary, have been accompanying the white apostle for 13 years, such as Juan Miguel García Hernández.
Magoga, Jumabeda and Pronovias
The recognitions followed for María Gómez, chef of the only restaurant with a Michelin Star in the city, Magoga, and Andrés Heredia Valero “for their selfless collaboration with the group.” Also, this year's crier, the parish priest Fernando Gutiérrez Reche, the Processionist of the Year 2024, Manuel Martínez Guillén, and the Greater Nazarene, María Isabel Zamora Fuentes, received a souvenir.
The Jumabeda company and the Pronovias store were also awarded, as well as the Chief Prosecutor of Cartagena, David Campayo Soler, and the Californio sewing workshop. The chaplain of UCAM Cartagena, José Antonio Palazón, was named favorite San Juanist brother. The Port Authority estivadores were the first passholders of the San Juan, which is why they recognized their vice president, Pedro Pablo Hernández, as a knight of honor.
They had a detail with Juan Francisco Sierra Verdún “a Sanjuanista since before he was born” and with the waitress in the image Ana Gómez. Colonel Quijano Barroso and General Ojeda were also presented with a souvenir.
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