Valencia lives from 10 to 13 May the most beautiful weekend of the year. The festivities in honor of the Virgen de los Desamparados, patron saint of the city. The religious festivity takes place on May 8, but in the capital the celebrations are moved to the second Sunday of May. The weather forecasts leave us a few days of almost clear skies and good temperatures, so the center of the cap i casal will become a hive of devotees and faithful to the Geperudeta. If in 2023 we celebrated the centenary of the Pontifical Coronation of the titular image, this 2024 marks the centenary of the Missa d'Infants, a popular Eucharist that takes place at dawn on Sunday in the same square of the Virgin.
Highlights
For this Friday the events that stand out in the program are the double dansà fallera, first children in the afternoon and the largest in the evening. Saturday's day is certainly marathon, although almost all in the same square of the Virgin. Of this Saturday highlights the dansà of the villages at 18.30 hours, the Solemn Salve at 20 hours, the concert of the Municipal Band at 23 hours, a new fireworks display in the Town Hall Square at 00 hours and, after the shot, dansà general.
The night from Saturday to Sunday is one of the most magical nights in Valencia. Dozens of people wait in front of the Basilica to experience the Descoberta Mass, which takes place at 5 am, while the different groups of pilgrims arrive to the heart of the city from municipalities as diverse as Benaguasil, Torrent or Sedaví, among others. Sunday is the big day with the centenary Missa d'Infants, Transfer, mascletà in the Town Hall Square and General Procession at 18.30 hours.
For Monday May 13 is the traditional Ronda a la Mare de Déu and will be on Wednesday, May 22, when the popular Besamanos a la Virgen de los Desamparados, an appointment that this year brings forward its start at 06.30 hours but will not end until the last devotee of the Geperudeta passes through the Basilica.
Read on to see the complete program of events for the festivities in honor of the Virgen de los Desamparados de Valencia.
Full program of events for the celebrations of the Virgen de los Desamparados 2024 in Valencia
Friday, May 10th
- 20 hours: Dansà of the children's fallas in the Plaza de la Virgen.
- 23 hours: Dansà of the major fallas in the Plaza de la Virgen.
Saturday, May 11
- 10.30 a.m.: Mass sung by the Escolania in the Basilica for the Court of Honor.
- 11.30 a.m.: Presentation of children in the Basilica before the statue of Our Lady of the Forsaken.
- 12 noon: Saturday Mass
- 1:00 p.m.: Mass in the Basilica in commemoration of the Pontifical Coronation of Our Lady of the Forsaken.
- 5.30 p.m.: Mass at the Basilica
- 6.30 p.m.: Mass in the Basilica
- 18.30 hours: Dansà in charge of the dance groups of the towns of Valencia
- 8:00 p.m.: Solemn Salve Solemnisima in the Basilica by the Escolania and former choirboys.
- 23 hours: Concert by the Municipal Symphonic Band of Valencia, conducted by Cristóbal Soler.
- 00 hours: Fireworks show by Zarzoso de Altura pyrotechnics in the Town Hall Square.
- 00.05 a.m.: General Dansà at the Plaza de la Virgen
Sunday, May 12
- 05:00 a.m.: Mass of Descoberta in the Basilica of the Virgin Mary
- 08 hours: Children's Mass at the Plaza de la Virgen
- 10.30 a.m.: Transfer of the pilgrim image of the Virgen de los Desamparados from the Basilica to the Cathedral.
- 12 noon: Pontifical Mass at the Valencia Cathedral
- 2 p.m.: Mascletà by Aitana de Bèlgida pyrotechnics in the Town Hall square.
- 17.30 hours: General Procession of the Virgen de los Desamaprados with the participation of all the fallas of Valencia and entities by the following route: Cathedral, Plaza de la Virgen, Caballeros Street, Plaza Sant Jaume, Bolsería, Central Market, María Cristina, San Vicente, Plaza de la Reina, Calle del Mar, Avellanas, Palacio Arzobispal and Basilica.
Monday, May 13th
- 8.30 p.m.: Ronda a la Mare de Déu in the Plaza de la Virgen.
Wednesday, May 22nd
- 06.30 a.m.: Popular kissing in the Basilica until the last devotee passes.
NUWE is a 100% Valencian company that feels and lives each of the festivals that are celebrated in the cap i casal. NUWE 's commitment to Valencian culture and traditions is indisputable, being present in many of them.