Emotional, welcoming and, above all, deeply traditional, this was Sunday’s 'romería' (pilgrimage) in La Cala in honour of Santa Teresa. The events in honour of La Cala's patron saint began, as always, with a Holy Mass attended by many locals and visitors, officiated by parish priest Fernando Luque. The San José de Fuengirola pilgrim choir also performed, making the ceremony even more emotional.

After the Mass, the image of the saint was carried on the shoulders of women from La Cala, while the Las Lagunas Musical Group accompanied the procession to Los Olivos Park. It was a peaceful walk, where floats and horses also played a prominent role. Many tourists, who happened upon the scene by chance, were surprised and delighted by such an authentic Andalusian tradition.

Faith and devotion

Once at the fairground, many people were waiting for the arrival of the float. The devotion to Santa Teresa runs deep among the people of La Cala, and the municipal corporation joined them in supporting this deeply rooted festivity. The mayoress, Ana Mata (PP), praised the way the people of La Cala keep this tradition alive with such care and dedication.

 

"It's a beautiful tradition. Today, as always, the image was carried by women from different generations, which makes it even more meaningful. It's wonderful to see so many families who have contributed to its history over the years, ensuring that traditions are passed down from grandmother to daughter to granddaughter", said Mata.

"I don't remember a route as beautiful as this year's, especially because of the bearers, and I would like to thank them on behalf of the board of directors. I would also like to thank the Las Lagunas Musical Group and the town in general for their support. It has truly been very beautiful", added Belén Guerra, president of the Santa Teresa Parish Association.

 

"Congratulations to the brotherhood and all the bearers. This is about enjoying time with family, socialising with friends and having a nice, fun day", said the councillor for Fesitvities, Silvia Marín (PP). It was also a very emotional day for the bearers themselves. María Cubero has been carrying the image of Santa Teresa for 45 years, currently as a promise, and she is now joined by her granddaughter: "My granddaughter also carried the float, and I was very excited to go with her. Next year, God willing, and if I have the strength, I will carry it too".

The women bearers

For Carmen Bornao, it was her first time under the poles: "This was the first year I carried the float of Santa Teresa. My sister has been carrying it for several years now. She encouraged me, and it's a tradition that we don't want to lose, so I decided to give it a try this year. The truth is that it has been very moving. I carried it with a childhood friend who had never carried it either, and she was right behind me, and I was very touched. The truth is that we are a small town where we all know each other, and although it is also true that La Cala has grown a lot, the families who have lived here all our lives know each other, and we love to enjoy our pilgrimage, our fair, and our traditions".

A day of togetherness

At midday, the organisers served wine for a toast and paella for the attendees, a typical dish for this celebration. In addition, the picnic areas of Los Olivos were filled with families and friends who did not want to miss out on the day of togetherness. "I think that these kinds of gatherings, where families, friends and acquaintances come together and share everything, are very important. We share food, friendship, faith, so many feelings, and that is what I think we need most at this time", said the parish priest of La Cala, Fernando Luque, during the pilgrimage.

 

Although Santa Teresa was a Castilian woman, she was always warmly received in La Cala. "We chose her as our patron saint", recalls Paqui Durán, for whom this image means a great deal. "We have to go back to the 16th century, to the area of Ávila, where Santa Teresa was born into a humble family. A simple and modest woman who revolutionised and reformed both society and the Church or her time. A very important woman for that period and one who, I believe, has left her mark on the Church forever", recalled the parish priest of La Cala. "The truth is that it is a very beautiful day in her honour, sharing this pilgrimage, celebrating as a family and having her image with us", explained Luque, referring to the statue, which was displayed all day in its small chapel in Los Olivos Park so that the faithful could visit it.

Awards and competitions

The Alboreá orchestra was in charge of entertaining the crowd. In addition, horses also played a prominent role and, once again, there was a horse ribbon race, organised by the Peña Caballista de Mijas. "The ribbon race is a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, I would say, and we are reviving it. This year, in addition to our rosette, which we are honoured to wear, we are distributing five sacks of feed among the top three finisher, three for the second place and two for the third", said the president of the Peña Caballista de Mijas, Juan López-Ayala. Álvaro Alconchel won the ribbon race.

As for the traditional prizes awarded each year during the pilgrimage, Diana Cardoso and Hugo Pérez were chosen as the best child pilgrims, while in the adult category, Antonio Arroyo and Mariola Barranquero took the honours. The best decorated float was also selected, this year it went to the La Cala Youth Association. "For us, the important thing is not the prize itself, but all the work, effort and time that the members have put into preparing the float together", said the secretary of the youth group, María López. Antonio Arroyo was also delighted with his award: "The truth is that I had a great time. When my grandfather, also named Antonio Arroyo, was alive, we always celebrated the pilgrimage as a family, all the Arroyo family, and for us it has always been a very special celebration".

 

Institutional support

Members of the government team joined residents in enjoying the festival. “Today is a day to celebrate and be with everyone who honours Santa Teresa in a special way, and above all, from the heart, maintaining the traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation, as we have seen during the procession”, added the mayoress of Mijas. For his part, Vox spokesperson Juan Carlos Cuevas Dawson said that "it was a very beautiful and emotional mass, and the church was full. The procession was also magnificent, and the women were very brave carrying the float. Now at Los Olivos, it’s all about enjoying the day as much as possible".

 

PMP spokesperson Juan Carlos Maldonado added, “it’s a Sunday, as always, for togetherness, with great participation. We want to thank the brotherhood for their perfect work, the bearers for their effort, the Department of Festivities, and the Police”.

“We would like to highlight the women bearers who accompany the image to Los Olivos Park every year. On behalf of our group, we congratulate all the families of La Cala who continue to keep this deeply rooted tradition alive. In fact, this is the last religious celebration to take place in the municipality this year”, emphasised Josele González, spokesperson for the Municipal Socialist Group.

As the people of La Cala say, the festival in honour of Santa Teresa was very much their own, rich in tradition and full of authenticity.

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