Emotion overwhelmed the inhabitants of the areas devastated by DANA in Valencia during the first day of the visit of the Pilgrim Virgin of the Desamparados to these areas, one month after the tragedy.
This Thursday, the image reached the town of Paiporta, considered the place most affected by the floods. He visited the parishes of the Inmaculada, San Ramón and San Jorge and walked through their streets, which still bear the mark of the floods that on October 29 caused a humanitarian catastrophe that claimed more than 200 human lives.
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In the images distributed by the Archdiocese of Valenciayou can observe the emotion, at times contained and at times overflowing, of those affected by DANA when they stand under the gaze of the image, which has moved in the popular “maremovil”, a kind of “popemobile” designed for the Virgin .
This Friday the pilgrim image will also tour the towns of Picaña and Torrente, where it is planned that the faithful will carry the virgin on their shoulders to an esplanade, where a moment of prayer and consolation will take place.
The Virgin responds to the call of consolation to the Valencians
The Vicar of Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Valencia and rector of the Basilica of the Virgin of the Forsaken, Melchor Seguí, explains that “after the first days of the catastrophe, the presence of the Virgin began to be requested” in the affected areas.
In statements disseminated by the archbishopricSeguí details that “requests began to occur, not only through social networks, but directly to the entities of the basilica, from people from the affected areas, requesting the visit and presence of the Virgin.”
Thus, it was proposed to the Episcopal Council “that the priests make this request when the situation was minimally normalized, to be able to make us present,” he adds.
Cáritas Española raises more than 40 million euros
For its part, Cáritas Española has communicated that the donation campaign opened a month ago when the consequences of the floods became known has raised 42.8 million euros.
“Cáritas has every reason to be grateful for this massive support for our mission. The trust placed in our capacity to respond to the effects of the serious floods will allow us to continue being close to the most disadvantaged people in a context of serious destruction of their livelihoods,” said Manuel Bretón, president of the entity.
Cáritas Española’s humanitarian response plan for this emergency plans to provide comprehensive support to 20,200 people with an initial budget of 33 million euros over a period of three years.
In Valencia, among the priorities to be addressed are the restitution of livelihoods and basic needs; recover homes or provide accommodation when it is not possible; address mental and emotional health problems and provide protection to especially vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, families and the elderly.
These four axes are complemented by two transversal lines of action related to legal support and the recovery of parish Caritas centers and projects affected by DANA.
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.