Seville + El Rocío: the passion that unites two worlds
Carts, horses, flamencas… The sand and dust of Doñana rise before the march of the brotherhoods that make a pilgrimage to Rocío. A magical, unique pilgrimage that fills thousands of pilgrims with fervor and devotion every year. “Let everyone be a rocker!” This is what Saint John Paul II said when he visited the village of Rocío, where this festival with centuries of history is celebrated . And, although Seville and El Rocío are separated by almost 80 kilometers, that does not prevent many Sevillians from taking to the road to see the Virgin.
A tradition with centuries of history
The Rocío pilgrimage, one of the most famous worldwide, has a very peculiar origin that goes back several centuries. There are numerous legends that talk about its origins, but one of the best known says that a hunter found an image of the Virgin in a tree trunk in La Rocina. The news spread quickly through the neighboring towns, who wanted to save the precious carving of the Virgin. To resolve the dispute, a test of strength was carried out with two oxen, in which both pulled, each one to one side, to see who would keep the image. Surprisingly, both showed the same resistance, so the pilgrimage site was established there.
Today, more than 100 brotherhoods make a pilgrimage to Rocío each year in a celebration that combines religious devotion and festive joy. This pilgrimage, full of life, is celebrated on the weekend of Pentecost Sunday, 50 days after Easter Sunday. There are 4 main roads that reach Rocío: the Camino de Moguer, the Camino de Cádiz, the Camino de Sevilla and the Camino del Condado. These four paths also show the four most representative environments and climates of these areas of Andalusia: the dry, the sandy, the swampy and the areas of vineyards and olive trees. The brotherhoods of the city opt for the path of the same name, the Camino de Sevilla.
The link between El Rocío and Seville
Holy Week is over, the Fair is over… but the Sevillian Spring is not over yet. And the thing is, Rocío in Seville is experienced as a long-awaited and long-awaited festival. Whether on foot or on horseback, five Brotherhoods leave from Seville, and many Sevillians choose to cross Doñana to go see Blanca Paloma . Each one headed by the Simpecado of it, which is carried by an ox cart.
The connection between Seville and El Rocío is visible in different areas of the city. We can find several places that pay tribute to the Virgin, such as the neighborhood of El Rocío or the headquarters of the Brotherhood of El Rocío of Seville. An interesting curiosity is that there are several special masses dedicated to the Virgen del Rocío in Seville. For example, the mass celebrated by the Brotherhood of the Divine Nurse at the Virgen del Rocío Hospital in Seville, or the one celebrated in Villamanrique, attended by the Rocío brotherhood of Seville. The relationship between Seville and Rocío is also materialized in popular culture, a clear example is the song ‘Cariño Trianero’ by Carmen Sevilla, which tells of a romance that brews along the way and how it comes to an end. This is just an example of how the ‘crush’ between Seville and El Rocío has survived for centuries and transformed over time, always remaining alive.
