Romería de El Rocío

Template: Infobox district of a municipality in Spain / Maintenance / localidad

El Rocío is a small community in Spain on the National Park Coto de Doñana in Huelva province. He belongs to the municipality of Almonte. Rocío is called in German Tau or " morning dew ".

The town of El Rocío

El Rocío is cuboid east of the A -483, which connects Almonte Matalascañas. The place has except the running at the edge of A- 483 on barely paved roads, the most common means of transport in the village are therefore off-road vehicles and horse-drawn vehicles. The predominantly two-storey building, this large clay courts give the impression of a ( in the majority of the year) abandoned western town because many of the buildings of the brotherhoods are inhabited and revived only to the pilgrimage at Pentecost. The center of the village extends around the church Ermita del Rocío, there is also the tourist information center. There are some small souvenir shops, several restaurants and bars as well as a few hostels and hotels. Further north in the village there are also two supermarkets, on the A -483 is also a petrol station. West of the A- 483 is located at the southern edge the Museo de El Rocío. To the south of the site directly adjoins the National Park Coto de Doñana, from the front of the church looks out over a watered during the winter months area ( Marshes ), while further south begin extensive pine forests.

The Sanctuary

El Rocío is known about the Spanish borders as a place of pilgrimage. It is venerated the Virgin of El Rocío - often as Paloma Blanca ( White Dove ) refers.

At Pentecost, over a million pilgrims - Romero - the pilgrimage - Pilgrimage - in the small town of the rest of the year has only 800 inhabitants.

About 100 brotherhoods travel from all over Spain and in some cases from to foreign countries. On her - traditionally defined - way, the Camino to El Rocío they visit other brotherhoods. A well-known place to come many brotherhoods, is Villamanrique de la Condesa in the province of Seville. On Saturday before Pentecost ride, drive and walk a confraternities in El Rocío and pass the pilgrimage church, the Ermita, where they are welcomed. Then they continue on to their homes, which are the rest of the year yet.

Sunday evening, the faithful gather in the Ermita and before that, to pray together. Traditionally, the sunrise - but in reality usually around 2 or 3 clock - skip members of the mother Brotherhood of Almonte the barrier (el salto de la reja ) and carry the Virgin's statue outside. From there, the Blanca Paloma goes to all fraternities. There keep on shoulders worn priest of the brotherhoods prayers of thanksgiving and intercession for the next year.

Many believers try to touch the Virgin, or at least her dress or the podium, especially the sick and elderly as well as children should receive a special blessing. The support from Almonte however, make it very difficult bystanders to approach the statue - sometimes one also sees that children are passed over the heads of bystanders or even thrown to execute the beneficent touch can.

As of Tuesday, the brotherhoods travel again - partly through its Caminos - to bring the blessing of Madonna in the hometowns.

Livelihoods

Tourism

El Rocío very lives of the pilgrimage tourism - although this only lasts about 14 days a year. During this time, cost accommodation - if they are to get at all - or means of transport, like carriages, horses, etc. a multiple of what is required the rest of the year.

Important to the rest of the year, visitors to the National Park Coto de Doñana - but most visitors stay mostly in the resorts on the Costa de la Luz as Matalascañas ' or Mazagon. In El Rocío is also home to the visitor center " La Rocina " of the National Park. 11 km in the direction of Matalascañas are more visitor centers, El Acebuche and Palacio Acebron, from which you can explore on foot paths the west of the road lying part of the nature park or can book guided tours of Doñana.

Agriculture

Around the village there are many villas, practice farming - mainly the cultivation of fruit, which is highly appreciated in Spain and abroad. In particular, is a major production area of strawberry and especially blueberries. The " earliest free- strawberries Europe " are also known. In the blueberries from the region is outstanding fresh produce. The berries are collected by hand directly in the sales bowls, equal to the packed fields, pre-cooled and collected by trucks and directly exported to Central and Northern Europe.