marian anniversaries     june

First Saturday in June

Nuestra Señora de Loreto, Higuera de Vargas, Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain

On this day people converge on the chapel of the Virgin of Loreto in the town of Higuera de Vargas in western Spain, to celebrate the Virgin's romería (pilgrimage) and fiesta de las flores (flower festival). Among the pilgrims are representatives of the Spanish Air Force come to honor their patron saint. After mass in the chapel, a procession passes through streets decorated with arches of paper flowers. A paella dinner and other festivities follow. The Virgin's statue here, fair and childless, does not resemble the Black Madonna and Child of the shrine in Loreto, Italy. The shrine in Higuera de Vargas is on the site of a holy well known for healings.   

Sources: 

Higuera de Vargas, hvargas.dip-badajoz.es
"Romería en honor a Nuestra Señora la Virgen de Loreto en Higueras de Vargas, Badajoz," Ejército del aire, www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es (photo taken during 2009 Romería)

Also commemorated this date:

Virgen de Catarecha, Valle de Hecho, Huesca, Aragon, Spain, Urdues village. Romería.
Virgen de Fátima, Ugíjar, Granada, Andalucía, Spain, Las Canteras district. Fiesta.
 

Where We Walked ~~~ Mary Ann Daly