The heat, the chotis and even the German accent yesterday accompanied the body of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of Madrid, in the procession that took place through the streets of the center, from the Almudena to its Collegiate Church. There, today, after the Eucharist, the saint’s urn will be closed again, one of the main acts of the Jubilee for the 400th anniversary of his canonization.
The day began in the vicinity of the cathedral. The Cardinal Archbishop, Carlos Osoro, presided over the ceremony in the temple, before the coffin. He extolled the figure of the boss, “not because of his eloquent words, but because of the life he had,” he said during the homily. Among the attendees there had been up to 40 brotherhoods of San Isidro from all over Spain, but also from places as far away as Munich, Luxembourg or Argentina.
The procession through the Plaza Mayor was a celebration of faith but also of folklore from different areas of the country and abroad. But if there was a music and a dance that really represented the soundtrack of the day, it was the chotis. The fervor of many led them to attend dressed in the typical costume to mark a piece, holding on to their partners, without exceeding the edge of a tile, as tradition dictates.
There were many cheers for the patron, but also others dedicated to his wife, Santa María de la Cabeza. Madrid was a party.
The opening of the ark of San Isidro has not been carried out since 1985. Today there will be a pilgrim mass at noon, and then, after vespers (at six in the afternoon), the coffin will be closed again containing the remains of the saint, quite well preserved after four centuries of his canonization.
On the occasion of these ephemeris and for the granting of the San Isidro Labrador Jubilee Holy Year by Pope Francis, the Madrid City Council has organized, together with the Archbishopric, the Community of Madrid and the Government Delegation, an extensive program of activities that will be carried out until May 15, 2023.
One of them will be open until October 2, the Casa Museo Lope de Vega houses the exhibition ‘Lope de Vega 1622. Four Spaniards and a Saint’, a year that can be considered the zenith of Spain’s influence on a global level.
Among the milestones that demonstrate the magnitude of its international power are the canonizations of the Spaniards San Isidro Labrador, Ignacio de Loyola, Francisco de Javier and Teresa de Jesús, together with that of the Florentine Felipe Neri, who demonstrated the considerable influence of our country .
San Isidro is also synonymous with gastronomy. Sweet, mostly. If at Easter we have the torrijas, in this festivity the proper dessert is the donuts. This year, to the traditional, silly, French and Santa Clara lists, the new Rosquilla del Año Santo is added, which adds a delicious chocolate coating to its formula and which is only made by patisseries identified with the Madrid Artisan Pastry quality seal. .
