Murcia, 15 September 2026. Representatives of Vox attended the farewell mass for the Virgen de la Fuensanta at Murcia Cathedral and accompanied the patron saint as she began the traditional Romería to her shrine in Algezares Among those present were the spokesman for the Vox group on the city council, Luis Gestoso, the Vox spokesman in the Asamblea Regional, Rubén Martínez Alpañez, and regional MP Pascual Salvador.
The city council, the Ayuntamiento de Murcia, had announced enhanced security and traffic arrangements for Tuesday. Local police managed road closures along the route, and some public transport services were free on the day of the event to make it easier for the many pilgrims to attend. The Romería regularly brings Murcia’s Feria de Septiembre to a close and is one of the region’s largest religious and cultural events.
Vox linked its attendance to religious petitions and political messages. Luis Gestoso said they had prayed “por Ceuta y por España”, as well as for health and “capacidad de discernimiento para los políticos”. Rubén Martínez Alpañez highlighted the importance of regional traditions while also criticising what he sees as the regional government’s inadequate response to Vox’s budget proposals. These statements are attributable to the participants’ public appearances and quoted remarks.
The presence of political figures at the farewell to the patron saint is an established feature in Murcia and is also practised by other parties. Authorities and organisers traditionally emphasise the religious and cultural character of the celebration; political statements on the sidelines are common, but remain separate from the event itself. No independent information on any specific political consequences of Vox’s remarks was available on Tuesday.
This year’s Romería takes place ahead of the centenary in 1927 of the canonical coronation of the Virgen de la Fuensanta. The Diocese of Cartagena has declared an extended jubilee period for the occasion, bringing increased attention to the patronal feast as early as 2026. According to local media, thousands of people took part in the procession accompanying the statue of the patron saint from the cathedral to her shrine in Algezares.
The facts are as follows: the event took place in Murcia on 15 September 2026 and is documented in local media reports and announcements by the Ayuntamiento de Murcia. Attributions of political demands are based on the quoted statements of the Vox representatives involved; further assessments remain a matter for different political camps.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).