Origen e historia de las fiestas

The first historical information we have about the the celebration of festivities in the name of the Virgen Mary date back to August 3rd 1664, when the local town council ratified the celebration date; people said in the past: "es farà festa lo dia de nostra senyora de Setembre conforme es costum cascun any.... que es sermó, pá beneyt, dolzayna y un bou que sia bó...". 

Making referente to the existente of ancestral Professional dances, the first historical piece of information we have dates back to 15 September 1677, nevertheless, from what can be gathered, these festivities started much earlier.

This tradition can date back from the spanish reconquest, once the image of the Virgin Mary could be put back to her rightful place after years of islamic domination. Another testimony referring to the age of these festivities relates what occured on the first day procession of the local fiestas in 1821, when an incident changed the lives of the local population. According to the sworn testimony of 11 neighbours, on the afternoon of 8 September by the local chapel there were twon virgins heading the procession, the Virgin of the Rosary, and behind, the Ermitana. This occured on the processions of the second day, when the local vicar, clearly outraged by the sight, ordered that only one virgin head the procession, and decreed that the Virgin of the Rosary should head the first procession, and the Virgin of the Ermitana, the second.

All testimonies of the neighbours coincide in claiming that the Vicar abandoned the procession and refused to participate for any of the two days.

Another event worth mentioning is the royal visit on 8 October 1929. King Alfonso XIII went to the Ermitana and started praying. He had previously arrived at Peñiscola aboard the “Infanta Cristina” Frigate.