This Is The Big
Weekend, The
Weekend Of The "Romeria"
This is the big
weekend and
tomorrow is the
"big day" in
Costa Rica,
perhaps bigger
than Easter and
Christmas
combined, as
Costa Ricans en
masse make their
way to Cartago
to pay homage to
the Virgen de
los Angeles or
al "La Negrita"
as she is called
by most, the
patron saint of
Costa Rica.
The annual "romeria"
began almost two
weeks ago, but
it will be
tomorrow when
the greatest
number of
faithful will
make their trek
to the Basílica
de Los Ángeles
in Cartago.
This year the
numbers expected
will be close to
two million,
almost half of
Costa Rica's
population,
given that the
romeria was
cancelled last
week.
Taking part in
tomorrow's
pilgrimage will
also be Costa
Rica's
presidenta,
Laura
Chinchilla.
Although the
details of the
presidenta's
participation
were still being
finalized last
night by the
departamento de
Protocolo de la
Casa
Presidencial,
Chinchilla is
expected to
start her way to
Cartago at 9am,
but is unclear
if she will be
leaving from her
private home in
Santa Ana, Casa
Presidencial in
Zapote (some 15
kilometres
closer to
Cartago) or at
another point.
Without a doubt
the presidenta
will be
accompanied by
security detail
who made a
pretour from
Tres Ríos a few
days back. One
person who will
not be
accompanying her
is her husband,
José María Rico,
who underwent
hip surgery a
few weeks back
after suffering
a fall at his
home on World
Cup day.
Many, like
legislators
Viviana Martín,
will start their
trek to Cartago
this evening at
nightfall.
Martín told the
media that she
has been on the
romeria for the
last 20 years
and that
presidenta Laura
has accompanied
her on occasion.
For those who
cannot make the
walk physically,
this year the
world wide web
comes to the
rescue, offering
a "virtual
romeria".
Visitors to the
website www.http://www.romeriavirtual.com/
can join in on
the religious
tradition. As of
this morning a
total of 21.531
"romeros" had
joined the
virtual walk.
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