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Miércoles 06/08/2025

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La Cala de Mijas pays tribute to its Star of the Sea

  • The Virgen del Carmen blesses the sea of La Cala
  • Juan Baena celebrated his final Carmen Mass in La Cala
  • Muchísimas personas han acompañado esta tarde a la Virgen del Carmen en La Cala de Mijas.

Once again, the patron saint of sailors moved both locals and visitors as they walked through the streets of La Cala de Mijas

La Cala de Mijas once again celebrated the Día del Carmen with its traditional maritime procession. The events began at 20 hours at the Santa Teresa Church, where a visibly moved parish priest, Juan Baena, celebrated a Mass in honour of the Virgin of the Sea, together with Marcel Lunar, parish priest of Mijas Village. In front of the altar, the small statue recovered from the seabed by divers from the VIP team stood beside the Virgen del Carmen throughout the ceremony. The Coro Rociero of the Hermandad de Ntro. Padre Jesús Nazareno from Alhaurín El Grande provided the musical accompaniment to the emotional Eucharist.

"I believe this is one of the most important days of the year, something everyone looks forward to with great excitement. It's a truly beautiful celebration, for the way it's marked with the Eucharist, the procession, and the boat ride with the Virgin. These are moments that everyone holds close to their hearts and wants to experience again", said Baena.

As the Virgin left the church, a shower of petals fell upon her while the Mijas Music Band welcomed her with the national anthem. The procession, organised by the Virgen del Carmen Ecclesiastical Association, made its way through the streets of Cártama, Marbella, Ronda, and Torremolinos, where local residents offered traditional 'malagueñas' dances performed by students from the Sur de Andalucía Folklore Association, directed by Rafi Cuevas. Throughout the route, representatives of the local government and opposition, members of the parish group, and residents accompanied the Virgin.

As the sky turned a deep navy blue, the Virgin made her way towards the sand on Torreón beach. Before entering the sea, she came face to face with the statue brought by the divers. There, amid applause, tears and devotion, she was carried in the arms of sailors wading into the water, cheering for their Queen along a brief stretch of shoreline until she was placed in her boat.

Once at sea, the Virgin was accompanied by parish priest Juan Baena, the mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata, the president of the parish group, José M. Mariscal, and the skipper of the boat Dos Hermanas. As the boat sailed out to sea, the large crowd applauded from the shore while the sailors rushed into the water to celebrate with their traditional dip.

After a brief journey through the waters of La Cala, the Virgin was carried once again on the shoulders of the sailors back to her church. The Music Band played and sang the Salve Marinera to bid farewell to the Virgen del Carmen.

"The Virgen del Carmen is very special, closely linked to the sea and to tourism, but also deeply cherished by many people who come from other parts of Andalusia and Spain to see her with great devotion. Today, in La Cala, this tradition has been experienced in a very special way", said the mayoress at the end of the procession.

For her part, the councillor for Festivities and Traditions, Silvia Marín (PP), added: "We asked the Virgen del Carmen for our people, for the wellbeing of all our residents" and highlighted "the beautiful procession after the Mass celebrated by Father Juan, as well as how moving and special it was to be able to go into the water and accompany the Virgin".

 

Institutional assesment

The municipal corporation of the Mijas Town Hall highlighted the strong devotion to the Virgen del Carmen in the municipality, particularly in La Cala. They expressed their gratitude to the Virgen del Carmen Ecclesiastical Association and to the local residents who dedicate themselves each 16th of July to the events surrounding this celebration.

"This is a tradition that runs deep here in La Cala. I also want to thank all those who have made this possible, especially the parish group of the Virgen del Carmen, whose efforts have allowed us to enjoy this tradition and devotion once again", said the deputy mayor of the coastal district, Juan Carlos Maldonado (PMP).

Juan Carlos Cuevas Dawson (Vox), spokesperson for Vox on the Mijas Town Council, expressed a similar sentiment: "The Virgen del Carmen means a great deal to people of the sea. Over the years, many fishermen have lived here, and it’s very moving to witness this. I want to thank the brotherhood, who do a wonderful job."

For his part, the PSOE councillor in Mijas, Josele González, also recognised the importance of this 16th of July celebration in Mijas and the wider province: "All those towns with a fishing or seafaring tradition continue to preserve these customs thanks to the efforts of anonymous individuals who make it possible year after year. La Cala and Mijas are no exception".

The spokesperson for Ciudadanos in Mijas, José Carlos Martín (Cs), also congratulated the organisers: "I’d like to highlight the huge number of people who attend this touching, heartfelt and unique event, so deeply rooted in coastal areas across Spain, in Andalusia, and especially here in La Cala, where it is lived with great sensitivity".

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