Thousands turn out for Albox Virgen del Saliente pilgrimage

THOUSANDS of people turned out for this weekend’s annual Virgen del Saliente pilgrimage in Albox.
The faithful travelled from a far afield as Alicante, Murcia and Granada to the Monte Real Diocesan Sanctuary to visit the image of the saint, known also as “la Pequeñica.
They included provincial and local politicians, among them Andalucia government delegate in Almeria Maribel Sanchez, Diputacion de Almeria delegate Oscar Liria and Junta de Andalucia Development and Culture territorial delegate Eloisa Cabrera, as well as local mayors.
As is tradition, the image of the saint was hoisted onto the shoulders of pilgrims and brought out through the main entrance of the sanctuary for Sunday’s procession of praise to bless the fields of Albox and the Almanzora Valley.
The weekend’s religious acts concluded on Sunday evening with the Eucharist for the sick in the Santa Maria parish church for all the local residents and the faithful who were not unable to join the pilgrimage this year.