Pilgrimage of Sister Francinaina Cirer, from her Casa Blanca in Sencelles

Ancient pilgrimage, recovered in 1987.

The walkers, who wear blue handkerchiefs around their necks, leave early in the morning, while the carriages and tractors, well decorated, do so at eight. Both make the route, about 25 km away, and arrive in Sencelles at twelve o’clock in the afternoon.

Pilgrims are presented with chocolate and ensaimadas before starting to walk. For their part, the residents of Sencelles decorate the streets with bouquets and put domes on windows and balconies to welcome the pilgrims with music and dancing. Pilgrims bring offerings of fruit and vegetables to the blessed. There is mass in the parish church of Sant Pere and, afterwards, brotherhood paella in the municipal sports center, raffle and return home.

The parish church of Sencelles dates from 1705. The main portal is accessed by stairs. The temple consists of a single nave, with six chapels attached to each side and a trapezoidal apse. The bell tower is in neo-Gothic style.

Convent of the Sisters of Charity, in Sencelles itself, founded by Sister Francinaina Cirer Carbonell (1781-1855) on the same site as her birthplace. The museum (971 872 567; carrer de la Caritat, 3, 07140 Sencelles).

Inscription on a tile of a house in Sencelles:

“Even from the most distant villages they came to visit her.”

 

Inscription on the altar cloths:

“By paths and streets / comellars and shortcuts / we have been coming to Sencelles for more than one hundred and fifty years.”