Virgen de las
Angustias Festivities
The patron festivities in honour of the Virgen de las
Angustias, located within the San Diego Church, is celebrated in Guadix on the
first and second weekend in November. The popular devotion dates back to XVII
century and she is the co-patron of Guadix since 1906. The current statue was
made by the Sevillian sculptor Castillo
Lastruchi, because the old one, a wood statue made by the accitano Torcuato Ruiz del Peral, was
demolished during the Spanish Civil War. Some engravings and the face of the
Virgin are still preserved, which can be nowadays looked at in the current Virgen de los Dolores statue, located
within the Concepción Church in Guadix.
On the first Sunday in the month, she is moved at dawn
(7.30 a.m.) and accompanied by Guadix people until the Cathedral to celebrate
her Septenario (Seven-Day Devotion).
On her feast day (the second weekend in November) a solemn Pontifical Mass is celebrated, headed by the bishop of the diocese.
On the afternoon, (18.30 p.m.) she is processed along the main streets of
Guadix from the Catedral to its sanctuary.
The Virgin worship has always been related to
important facts of the Guadix history such as the cholera in 1855, the drought
in 1858, fires, earthquakes, etc. in which Guadix people resorted to the Virgin
protection through public rogations.
