Part 2: Day of the Virgen de los Desamparados - Baby Tossing & Mascleta
Welcome to the second part of our series about the Day of the Virgen de los Desamparados in Valencia. Earlier, we talked about the mass dance event and fireworks. But now we switch to baby tossing (for real!) along with another Mascleta Video -- the Valencian daylight fireworks. I recorded the video today, but the text and the photos were first published on our Valencia Travel Blog in 2015.
In truth, there is nothing quiet nor calm about the morning procession of the Virgen de los Desamparados. Or even sane for that matter. This is one of the craziest events Valencia has to offer, and it’s certainly not for everyone. You might want to keep your distance if you don’t enjoy being crushed to half-to-death in a frenzied crowd. Or getting kicked repeatedly in the face.
At 10:30 in the morning, the holy icon of Our Lady is carried out of the basilica in which she normally resides. She’s taken around the Plaza de la Virgen, and then through the doors of the nearby cathedral. But first, she has to fight through a crowd of psychotic maniacs who will go to any length to touch her.
“Come on, calling these people ‘psychotic’ is a little extreme, don’t you think?” No! I don’t think! Psychotic is a perfectly valid way to describe people who will crowdsurf in order to touch the virgin. I’m not talking, “climbing atop the shoulders of their friends.” I mean, “taking a flying leap from a wall, landing atop elderly ladies and mindlessly kicking anything that’s in the way of their flailing feet, and then breaking down in uncontrollable sobs because it’s all so holy.” That is psychotic!
(This year, I was kicked three times straight in the face, by the same person. I couldn’t defend myself, because my hands were trapped by the crushing crowd. After she finally had her feet on the ground, she started crying. Maybe it was religious ecstasy, or maybe it was because she finally realized the true depths of her psychosis.)
My video is at DLive
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Awww man dlive was playing silly beggars and not working :-( The pics look amazing though but your description paints a different picture lol. Religious fervor can be a bitch, a face kicking bitch. I shall return to try the video a bit later. Great stuff :-)
The video within the post is about the daylight fireworks .. but this one highlights the morning procession:
Hahaha does sound a bit mental.
The photo of the virgin being carried down the street is brilliant. Are they rose petals or just confetti falling around?
Yes ... I'm not a religious person but the sight of these rose petals could make me a believer.
Such an incredible celebration, the photos are so good. I can feel the devotion around the whole procession and it is kind of overwleming. So great we can experience all this just trought photos, thanks for sharing!
I posted a video to the morning procession in another comment, if you 're interested take a look. It gives even more of an insight.
wow, I just wached. It is crazy, but still so interesting.
Definitely when I get back to Europe I'll have to attend some of these events that you have been showcasing ! They definitely love fireworks round there !
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