ESTEPONA locals were out in their masses last night to worship their patron saint, the Virgen del Carmen.
Hundreds took to the walkways and the beaches for a glimpse of the procession as it headed down the boardwalk and into the sea.
The procession started at 20.00 in the Parish of Our Lady of Carmen, where the national anthem rang out.
140 men took it in turns to carry the throne of The Virgen del Carmen around the town, stopping for people to praise it and take photographs.
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Alex Iszatt (Reporter)
“Worshipped” is inaccurate and misleading.
Only God should be worshipped and Our Lady is not God !
Catholics honour and venerate her,just as most of us honour our mothers.
We pray to her and ask for her intercession,but hopefully we do not worship her……….
The Carmelite Order,taking its name from Our Lady of Mount Carmel ( Carmen in Spanish), was founded at Aylesford, near Maidstone in Kent,by St.Simon Stock in the 1200’s. Many Spanish churches have a painting or statue of this English saint.
The Carmelites were reformed in the 16th century by St.Teresa of Avila and St.John of the Cross,but the original order started in England……….
Well in Fuengirola it appears the crisis must be over as the town hall spent god knows how much on 20 minute firework display. How these people justify wasting so much money in these hard times is just shocking and I guess all,the town hall workers who have had their wages cut must of really enjoyed their bosses firework display.
Mark,
You sound like one of nature’s Roundheads, rather than the Spanish Cavaliers…….
You can’t help your puritan streak,of course, but anyone working in London’s West End theatres ( my living room overlooks Drury Lane ) will tell you that audiences are always UP in times of economic crisis…..
people need to have their spirits lifted…..Remember all the singing in air-raid shelters during the London blitz ?
Spaniards have never suffered from puritanism and grasp this vital dimension of our human nature….
The economy of Cadiz is much much worse than Fuengirola….
do you think that dampened the spirits of the annual Carnaval de Cadiz this year……..or any year ! ??
Anyone too worried about wasting money needs to get out more………..
@Señor Weaver, although I understand what you getting at but i feel you are living a little bit in a fantasy world. It maybe ok in your fancy ivory tower overlooking the Theatre in the West end of London but in the working class real world in South of Spain life Is very hard. The cost of living here is rising as more people lose their jobs. taxes and local authority charges are increasing ( local business now by 60% more to have their rubbish collected for example). I do not have a Puritan streak but do however run and own a business in these difficult times which I can ensure you is not easy to stay afloat with 90% of problems being caused by stealth taxes / problems with town hall. I am not against local tradition but seeing the town hall lost out on a huge amount of income on the feria of Carmen due to fact they wanted to charge the fun fair more money for the site (they told them where to go) and then spent god knows how much on fireworks is not Cavailer but just irresponsible for a town hall that is hugely in debt.
Just to add, a lot of Spanish here don’t care for the Virgen del Carmen but I guess they should just join or they are just Puritan
Who would have thought this nice article could turn into an argument! CHRIST!
It’s not CHRIST it’s the Virgen de Carmen :) i am not trying to pick a fight or start an argument although there is plenty of things to pick on with this subject to have one.
I was just disappointed that the Town Hall still felt it was a good thing to spend money on Fireworks when so many are struggling including themselves. Yes, it may cheered a few up for 5 mins but it long term does more damage
I feel Our Lady should be honored in every Catholic Church. Sshe is the mother of Jesus Cchrist, our savior. We christians do not put her above Jesus Christ, God or any one else. She was pickeed fof this honor by GOD. Think about the heart aches and trials she went through. Think about the faith she must have had. Think about her standing at the foot of the cross, watching her son die in HIS agony knowing who he was. She is my spiritual mother and I honor her for who she is and what her cross was in this life. Yes she comports me in a way only a mother could do. She appears at different places to give us love and support. NEVER does she try to take her sons place . In all her wonderful appearances she prays for us to be converted to her SON, our savior. Not to her. amen
Each to their own I guess
Dear Mark,
My flat overlooking Drury Lane is a council flat, so I don’t really need lessons from a businessman about the “working class real world”…..
I pay rent.
You don’t.
If you feel that the Council is being irresponsible, why not stand as an independent candidate at the next elections on a “Stop Waste” ticket ???
In the meantime, try to get out more and learn how to spell Cavalier.
Sorry my spelling isn’t up to scratch, I do pay rent and a lot of it for the record. if you think an expat should stand for local election then you nothing about life here. I find local politics very interesting and would love to work with the local town hall but it will never happen well not while I have a business to run and two young kids.
as for telling me to get more…..get a life