The town of Les Useres is getting ready for one of the most emblematic pilgrimages in the Valencian Community and throughout Spain: that of Els Pelegrins. This tradition, declared an Intangible Cultural Asset, will be held this Friday, May 24, with the journey to Sant Joan de Penyagolosa and the return on Saturday, May 25.
Each year, a special delegation is responsible for renewing the municipality's vow in homage to its ancestors. The delegation consists of thirteen pilgrims, accompanied by singers, the parish priest, a representative of the City Council, the clavarios, the treasurer, the promises, and the group of les càrregues. The total route is 35 kilometers to the sanctuary of Sant Joan de Penyagolosa.
“"The ritual will begin at dawn with the celebration of mass. Afterwards, participants will walk barefoot and in silence, over a carpet of ivy, through the streets of the municipality until they reach the Filador, where they will put their shoes back on to begin the journey."
During the march, the pilgrims will make stops for rest and prayer, pausing at key points such as the hermitage of Sant Miquel de les Torrosselles. Throughout the journey, they will offer their prayers to ask for rain, health, and peace.
The culminating moment will arrive on Saturday morning with the Ceremony of Forgiveness, an ancestral rite celebrated in the sanctuary whose content remains secret, as it cannot be revealed by the pilgrims. After this act, the delegation will begin the return journey to Les Useres, arriving late on Saturday night, bringing an end to one of the deepest and most symbolic traditions of the Valencian territory.
