Aragon became the main stage for a historic event on June 30, when the 1st Fallas Pilgrimage of the Way of the Holy Grail, organized by the 'Comisión Falla Convento Jerusalén', traveled through its region. With stops in Albentosa, San Agustín, and Barracas, the participants presented symbolic 'socarrats' (decorative clay plates) to the local authorities, highlighting the fundamental role of Aragon in this European cultural route.
Thanks to the union of synergies between the Fallas world and the Way of the Holy Grail, the first Fallas pilgrimage of the Way of the Holy Grail was held on Sunday, June 30. This historic event was attended by a hundred falleros and friends of the Falla Commission Falla Convento Jerusalem. They have led this initiative to give visibility to the Way of the Holy Grail as a European Cultural Itinerary, traveling the stretch between Aragon and Valencia.
The pilgrimage, which covered almost 20 kilometers on foot, included stops in the towns of Albentosa, San Agustín, and Barracas. At each stop, the falleros presented the local authorities with bricks decorated with a design similar to a socarrat, created by artisans of the Housewives of the Valencian town of Emperador, destined to signpost the Way of the Holy Grail in the town center.
In Albentosa, the pilgrims were welcomed with a breakfast offered by the town council, followed by a celebration in the village church. During the ceremony, the local parish priest blessed the participants. The mayoress, Yolanda Salvador, received the signaling socarrats as a symbol of this historic route.
In San Agustín, the pilgrims were welcomed in the town hall square where the corporation organized a generous lunch with typical Aragonese products. The mayor, Daniel Riera, received the socarrats in an improvised act at the doors of the town hall.
The day ended in Barracas where the town council entertained the pilgrims with two Valencian paellas after attending an exhibition on the Holy Grail organized by the Association chaired by Dr. Ana Mafé García. The mayor, Antonio Salvador, received the signage from the hands of the honor roll of the falla during the exhibition.
The organization of this pilgrimage has been carried out by a group of falleros in collaboration with the 'Asociación Cultural El Camino del Santo Grial'. Dr. Ana Mafé García, president of the Association and of the International Cultural Itinerary Association The Way of the Holy Grail in Europe, expressed her gratitude to the Falla Commission Falla Convento Jerusalén, its president Paco Segura and its Fallera Mayor, Mariam Armiñana, for the support given to the Way of the Holy Grail. Paco Segura highlighted the creation of special links with the three municipalities visited and invited their representatives to visit Valencia in March 2025 as a token of gratitude for the hospitality received.
The images and videos of this day will form part of the report that Dr. Ana Mafé is preparing to get the Way of the Holy Grail recognized as a European Cultural Itinerary. This pilgrimage marks the beginning of seven other stages that the Commission will organize over the coming months, with the aim of reaching Valencia in October 2025, coinciding with the Jubilee year, where the culmination of the route will be celebrated with a special event.
It is worth mentioning that, on behalf of the Association, José Planillo was guiding the group along the route, its secretary Jesús Gimeno Peris and five members of the Guard of the Way of the Holy Grail, led by Félix Moratal. The Pilgrimage Credentials, provided by the Albentosa Town Council and Imprenta Nómada Producción Gráfica through the Association, were stamped in each town along the way, providing all participants with a tangible souvenir of this historic pilgrimage.
These actions of dissemination of heritage and culture throughout the territory serve to unite in brotherhood the municipalities along the way, consolidating the relevance and cultural impact of the 'Way of the Holy Grail in Europe.'
From the Asociación Cultural El Camino del Santo Grial, gratitude was expressed towards the Dirección General de Turismo y Hostelería and the Consejería de Medio Ambiente y Turismo del Gobierno de Aragón for their support in 2024 for private non-profit tourist entities for tourist promotion actions (BOA nº 12 de 17/01/2024).
