Festivities Celebrating the Coming of the Virgin

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Celebrate a festival that unites the sea, history and faith. Come and see the Virgin Mary arrive in Elche!

Every 28 December, when the sky is still dark, a pilgrimage sets off from Tamarit Beach in Santa Pola, heading for Elche. This is how the town commemorates the miraculous arrival of the Virgin of the Assumption in 1370, when coastguard Francesc Cantó found a chest in the sea containing her image and the consueta (traditional text) of the Misteri d'Elx, or Elche Mystery Play.

At midday, Cantó—on horseback and dressed in period costume—relives his feat by setting off from the Hort de les Portes Encarnades to announce the discovery to the Council. After the proclamation, a procession sets off symbolically in search of the chest, which is carried in procession to the Basilica of Santa María, amid music, excitement and cheering.

On the 29 December, the official procession of the Venida is held, where the Virgin is accompanied on her throne by dozens of children dressed as angels. It is one of the most endearing images of the Elche festivities.

This celebration is much more than tradition: it is identity, shared memory and a bridge between the past and the present. If you are in the area in December, don't miss it ... and take the opportunity to discover the winter charm of Elche's historic centre, always brimming with life.

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Schedule

*Please confirm event times and dates have not changed.

Start date

28/12/2025

Ending date

29/12/2025

Type of interest

Autonomous tourist interest