The Government of Castilla-La Mancha has valued the importance of the Corpus Christi festivity of Elche de la Sierra, due to its “cultural, social and economic” dimension, being one of the great references of tourist attraction in the province of Albacete and in the whole of the Autonomous Community, also adding “the international character” that it has acquired this year, with a large presence of foreign touristsespecially coming from France, England and even Germany.
The delegate of the Junta, Pedro Antonio Ruiz Santos has affirmed this, during his attendance at the institutional acts of this Fiesta declared of INational Tourist Interest since 2014 and Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC), in the category of Intangible Heritage, since 2017, after its approval by the Regional Government Council
Ruiz Santos has stressed that this year there is an estimate over 12,000 visitorsthroughout the weekend, in which once again the leading role is played by sawdust rugs as the maximum expression of this ephemeral art, with artistic expressions in 25 streets and 3 squares of Elche de la Sierra, thanks to the involvement of 600 carpet makers from the entire Sierra del Segura region.
Ruiz Santos, who was accompanied by the mayoress of the Elche de la Sierra City Council and provincial deputy for Tourism, Raquel Ruiz; the president of the Association of Carpet Makers of this Albacete municipality, Montserrat Cortes, and a representation of artisans from La Orotava (Tenerife), who this year have been invited by this municipal Council, in an “example of unity around this ephemeral art ».
On the other hand, the provincial delegate of the Community Board in Albacete, who has been present at the liturgical acts, officiated by the parish priest of Elche de la Sierra in the Parish Church of “Santa Quiteria”, Álvaro Picazo.
In addition, the delegate of the Board has recalled that the Corpus Christi of Elche de la Sierra They have a claim of high quality to continue exhibiting and exporting this ephemeral art, such as the Sawdust Carpet Museum and Interpretation Center, a museum space inaugurated last year 2022, highlighting the role played by the Association of Carpet Makers, the general relay that exists with the participation of young people, as well as the work that the Elche City Council has carried out throughout the year in promoting tourism in collaboration with other Public Administrations, such as the Board and the Albacete Provincial Council.
