By Cathy Elelman • Published: 13 Nov 2018 • 15:39
HOMAGE: Junta de Andalucia President Susana Diaz honoured the 150 people who lost their lives in the earthquake Photo Credit: Junta de Andalucía
EVENTS to mark the 500th anniversary of the earthquake which destroyed the old settlement of Vera drew to a close with a moving ceremony to honour the 150 people who lost their lives when the disaster struck. Last Friday November 9 marked the 500th anniversary of the tragedy. The President of the regional Government, Susana Diaz, was among the dignitaries present for the night-time ceremony staged in the town’s central square and attended by more than 500 people. Both the Junta de Andalucia President and Vera Mayor Feliz Lopez placed floral offerings under the tombstone placed against the Town Hall façade. Then, after a minute’s silence, a video recreating the terrible disaster was projected onto the front of the parish church. The day’s commemorative events had begun with pupils from three schools planting 150 cypresses in the Rambla park, each tree representing one of the earthquake victims. Later in the day there was a solemn mass, and a conference about the earthquake given by Madrid History Institute scientist Cesar Jose Olivera Serrano. In the evening the streets of Vera became the stage for a dramatized route featuring characters from this period of Vera’s past. Vera has organized a series of cultural activities throughout the year to commemorate the 5th centenary of the earthquake which changed the town’s history. As well as conferences, exhibitions and guided visits, archaeological digs are being carried out on the ancient Bayra settlement which before the quake stood on what is today the Holy Spirit Hill.
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Cathy Elelman is the local writer for the Costa de Almeria edition of the Euro Weekly News.
Based in Mojacar for the last 21 years, Cathy is very much part of the local community and is always well and truly up on all the latest news and events going on in this region of Spain.
Her top goals are to do the best job she can informing the local English-speaking community, visitors to the area and the wider world about about the news in Almeria, to learn something new every day, and to embrace very new challenge this fast-changing world brings her way.
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