A procession to ask for rain is organized this Monday in the streets of Jaén, a city located in the northeast of Andalusia and affected by drought.
74 years later, the image of El Abuelo, the “Lord of the rain”, will stand out in the streets of Jaén. This Monday, a procession, organized for the last time on March 8, 1949, is set up to “ask for rain”, explains the diocese of the province on son site Internet (in Spanish).
Located in the northeast of Andalusia, the city has been hard hit by the episode of high heat and drought since the end of April. At the beginning of the week, temperatures still exceed 30°C.
A “great concern”
With this procession, the Bishop of Jaén, Sebastián Chico Martínez, wishes to respond to “the great concern (…) about the scarcity of rains in our land and the disastrous consequences for the fields and the economy of the province”. .
The procession will leave at 6 p.m. from the Camarín de Jesús sanctuary and will follow a route to Plaza de Santa María where the cathedral is located. The diocese asks participants “not to bring candles during the procession” given the heat and drought with an increased risk of fire starting.
Five moments of prayer are planned throughout the procession until the celebration in the cathedral from 8 p.m. At the end of the mass, the bishop of Jaén will give the blessing for the faithful, but also the fields of the province.
Another procession to ask for rain in Jaén is planned for Sunday by appealing to the Virgen de Linarejos. A departure will take place from his sanctuary at 8:30 am for a return at midday.
In the province of Jaén, the temperatures recorded since the end of April are 10°C higher than seasonal norms according to theState Meteorological Agency.
Precipitation is very rare with less than 25 mm accumulated at the end of April, four times less than normal.
