Castellón Celebrates Easter Sunday with Traditional 'Encuentro' Processions

The city of Castellón de la Plana and El Grau hosted various Easter celebrations, including the meeting of the images of the Risen Christ and Our Lady of Beautiful Love.

Image of a religious procession with blurred figures and confetti on the ground.
IA

Image of a religious procession with blurred figures and confetti on the ground.

The city of Castellón de la Plana celebrated Easter Sunday and the arrival of Easter with various masses and the traditional 'Encuentro' processions, both in the city center and in El Grau, gathering numerous residents.

As is customary, the capital of La Plana Alta experienced a day of religious fervor with the celebration of Easter Sunday. The Concatedral de Santa María was the setting for the main mass, followed by a procession attended by council members of the municipal government.
Among the municipal representatives who participated in the events were Vicent Sales, Councilor for Social and Intercultural Coexistence; Clara Adsuara, Councilor for the Elderly; and Luciano Ferrer, Councilor for Public Health.
The most anticipated moment was the 'Encuentro' (Meeting) between the image of the Risen Christ and that of Nuestra Señora del Amor Hermoso (Our Lady of Beautiful Love), also known as the Easter Virgin. This meeting took place at the foot of the El Fadrí bell tower, in the Plaza Mayor, after both processions had paraded through different streets of the city.
The procession of Nuestra Señora del Amor Hermoso departed from the Concatedral, passing through Plaza de la Hierba, Colón Street, Mayor Street, and Arcipreste Balaguer Street, until reaching the Plaza Mayor. Meanwhile, the image of the Risen Christ began its journey from the Capilla de la Purísima Sangre, on Mayor Street.
After the emotional 'Encuentro', a pyrotechnic display, confetti launch, and the traditional ringing of bells took place. The musical accompaniment was provided by the Banda Municipal de Castellón, which performed the Spanish National Anthem.
In El Grau, the celebration of Easter was also prominent. The Iglesia de San Pedro hosted the mass, followed by a procession through the streets of the maritime district. The Deputy Mayor of El Grau, Ester Giner, and the Councilor for Environment, Gonzalo Romero, were present at the events.
The 'Encuentro' procession in El Grau brought together numerous residents who accompanied the images of the Easter Virgin and the Risen Christ to Plaza Virgen del Carmen, where the meeting occurred. Subsequently, the images returned together to the Iglesia de San Pedro in a single procession.