Passion, love and faith are feelings that have no explanation. Some are passionate about their profession, love their community, or are guided by faith in a God, the Universe, or the stars.
The Via Crucis is the representation in 14 stations of the way of Jesus to the cross. It is one of the oldest devotions practiced by Catholics at Easter. In Puerto Madryn it occurred to them to reverse it and unite this practice with diving.
This is the 19th edition of the underwater Via Crucis, where the inhabitants make their professions and their time available to offer an incredible experience for anyone who can live it in person or through a transmission.
“We knew that the Via Crucis was done on foot, in other places they did it in boats, and it occurred to us to do it underwater,” said José María Goity, known in the Chubut city as “Popey”, one of the ideologues of this unique event in the world. Together with his friends, they thought of it as a tourist proposal since they sought to attract visitors during the long Easter weekend. As in so many other places in the world, they found this activity for “religious tourism” and to be able to capture the attention of the media with something unique in the world.
Beyond the religious aspect, the experience is shocking and exciting. Thousands of people wait on the pier and on the coast of Puerto Madryn for the time for the underwater part of the Via Crucis to arrive. The illuminated cross is hung from a crane that places it on the sea surface, where divers receive it and take it to the bottom of the sea. The experts continue with the underwater steps, while hundreds of kayakers and swimmers follow the light seen from the bottom of the sea. Meanwhile, those who remain on the mainland are moved and follow him with prayers, tears in their eyes and move to the seashore to receive them.
The local actors who represented Christ and the rest of the protagonists receive the maritime team and the applause and shouts of joy cover the sound of the sea. The illuminated cross is located on the coast next to the choirs of the churches that close an emotional show that goes beyond religious beliefs.
There are already 19 editions of this tradition in Puerto Madryn which, although it is a religious practice, goes much further: it is a sample of the passion for diving and to promote tourism, one of the bases of the local economy.
