Thousands of people accompanied the Virgen de la Amargura in an extraordinary procession for the 25th anniversary of her canonical coronation
It was not Good Friday, but the nerves and emotion of the whites to see the Virgin of Bitterness leave her temple were very similar. At eight o’clock in the afternoon, the image crossed the threshold of the chapel of El Rosario resplendent on her throne adorned with roses and tuberoses to join a tide of faithful who escorted her on her way through the historic quarter to the Plaza de España, where the twenty-fifth anniversary of his canonical coronation was commemorated. The ‘vivas’ and the applause did not stop throughout the journey, while the Virgen de la Amargura Musical Group performed Holy Week marches through Santo Domingo, Lope Gisbert and Álamo streets, adorned for the occasion with commemorative pennants and banners.
The throne of 1,500 kilos of weight rested on the shoulders of 133 portapasos and exceptionally without the canopy to recreate in the most reliable way possible that historic September 12, 1997. In this way it was possible to contemplate in all its magnitude the mantle entirely silk embroidery released in 1928, which is one of the jewels of the brotherhood.
The stature of Sánchez Lozano wore the suit and the jewels that he usually wears in the only processional outing that he performs a year on Good Friday night and the crown donated by the whites 25 years ago. She was preceded by the banners of the Virgin of El Rosario and that of Bitterness and by the mayordomos with axes. Next to her were the governing board of the Ladies’ Choir and the honorary presidents, the waitresses of the Virgin and other brotherhoods, the board of directors of Paso Blanco and the honorary presidents. The presidents of the Brotherhood of the Curia and of the Morado, Incarnate and Resurrected steps were also part of the procession, along with representatives of brotherhoods from other municipalities twinned with the White Step. The president of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, the Minister of the Presidency, Marcos Ortuño, and the mayor, Diego José Mateos, were part of the delegation.
Thousands of people awaited the arrival of Bitterness in the Plaza de España, where a thousand white chairs were set up for the Eucharist. Confectioners and pennants hung from the Renaissance balconies, the main altar was decorated with flowers and a showy vegetable garland was arranged in the carrerón of the collegiate church of San Patricio.
When the ceremony officiated by the Bishop of the Diocese of Cartagena, José Manuel Lorca Planes, was about to begin, a fine rain made an appearance and the throne of Bitterness and the banners were sheltered under the arch of Cava Street, a few meters from where the altar was arranged. The bishop alluded to the inclement weather that worried the attendees saying that “it is a day to be happy despite the rain, so many times we ask the Lord to water this land and we are not going to complain about four drops”, a reflection that received the applause of the whites.
The bishop, who was accompanied in the religious service by the apostolic nuncio of New Zealand, Monsignor Novatus Rugambwa, the archbishop emeritus of Burgos, Francisco gil Hellín, and by the priests of the city, recalled “that beautiful event” that was the coronation of Bitterness 25 years ago and that yesterday was remembered “with this holiday for Lorca”. He added that “our interest is in remaining in this same joy” and “loving with the soul that looks up to heaven.”
After mass, the Virgin began her way back to her temple, crossing the Plaza de España with all the streetlamps off and illuminated by the faint flame of the candles and by a beam of light on her face projected from the Town Hall while the whites sang the anthem ‘Queen and lady of the race.
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