The port of Vigo will celebrate the Day of Carmen with the traditional grand maritime procession through the estuary

The port of Vigo will celebrate this Saturday, July 11, the Day of Carmen, patron saint of sailors, with a wide program of events that will culminate in the traditional maritime procession through the estuary. The day will also include a tribute to the two Civil Guard officers who died in Barbate and to the crew of the Portuguese fishing vessel "Carlos Cunha".

The program will begin at 4:30 PM with the land procession of the image of the Virgin of Carmen from the Church of San Francisco to the Fishing Port Market. At 5 PM, a solemn mass will be held, and an hour later, the offering at the memorial monolith, located in the esplanade of the "Virxe do Carme" building, will take place, where this year special remembrance will be given to the Civil Guard officers who died in Barbate and to the crew of the Portuguese fishing vessel.

One of the most anticipated moments will arrive at 6:30 PM, when the image of the Virgin boards the vessel "Novo Baloeiro" from dock number 4.

At 7:00 PM, the traditional maritime procession will begin, featuring around twenty decorated boats, including vessels from the purse seine fleet, the historic "Rías Bajas", the schooner "Evangelina", as well as boats from the Civil Guard, Maritime Rescue, Real Nautical Club of Vigo, Maritime Lyceum, and Mar de Ons. The procession will travel along the entire port front, from Bouzas to A Guía, before performing the traditional floral offering at sea.

The day will conclude at 8:00 PM with the maritime offering, where the boats will form a circle in the estuary to make a floral offering.

This event can be followed from land, both from the breakwater of the Fishing Port and from the Transatlantic Dock, which will reopen to the public so that citizens can enjoy one of the most emotional moments of the celebration.

Photo: Xosé Soto