In Catalonia, drought revives a Catholic tradition
In the heart of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, around a hundred Catholic faithful marched through the streets in mid-March to invoke rain. A procession dominated by the statue of Christ, a celebration renewed every year since the 16th century before falling into oblivion three-quarters of a century ago. “In a society where there are more and more atheists, this tradition was lost over time,” explains Jordi Sacasas, archivist at the Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi, where the idea of reconnecting with this rite. The initiative resonated in a region plagued by severe drought for more than three years. Since February 1, a state of drought emergency has even been declared in Catalonia.
At the initiative of the Brotherhood of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, better known as the Brotherhood of Sanch, the Catalan faithful began to meet every evening in Santa Maria del Pi, on the occasion of a novena, before parading on March 10 through the streets of Barcelona.
“Miracle! It rained during the procession!”, rejoices Jordi Sacasas. If these meager precipitations were not enough to end the drought, they breathe new hope. And the message of Cardinal-Archbishop Juan José Omella, who had made the trip, was heard: “Praying is not everything, you also have to make efforts on your part.” This advice is followed to the letter by the archivist, who says he collects the water from his shower himself to reuse it as a toilet flush. “Help yourself and heaven will help you…”