Skybound Milestone: San Benito’s Pioneering Spirit Takes to the Skies

Eduardo Viloria / DLA

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As scheduled, this first Sunday in October saw the first departure from San Benito, where the image of the Saint is carried on the shoulders of the carrying ladies, who are the only ones authorized by the San Benito de Betijoque foundation to transport it from one place to another. place to another the image of the saint as happened in this new exit.

Taking advantage of the program of concentrating the groups of Sanbeniteros and followers of the festival starting at 9 in the morning to attend the 10 o’clock mass, as scheduled, the first to arrive were the members of the San Benito Foundation, in front of which was the Chief Steward of the Rafael Figueredo Foundation, who enforces a discipline that more than anything seeks to maintain order in the festival dedicated to the Black Saint and avoid the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

At 10 in the morning the mass began with the presence of the current priest Mervin Fuentes and the deacons Johan Rivero and José Luis González, who share responsibilities for the liturgical act in terms of reading the word contained in the Bible.

At the Eucharist offered on the feast of Saint Benedict in Betijoque, the temple was completely full.

Departure to the Obelisk

At 11:30 in the morning, after the priests distributed the Eucharistic bread to the numerous people present who filled the spacious facilities of the San Juan Bautista temple, the Saint left for his destination as indicated by the information on the shoulders of the porters, ladies who maintain a discipline that leads to no one else touching the Saint, a discipline that is extreme in each departure from Saint Benedict.

On Avenida 5 or the main street of Betijoque you could see the large number of people accompanying Santo, where in the middle of the street they responded to the hoarse drums and the high-pitched sound of the requintas, dancing to the beat of these instruments.

The girls and boys who are members of the Foundation School drew attention, where the new values ​​of the festival that has endured over the years in the land of Rafael Rangel are formed.

The followers of the Fiesta occupying the main street.

On the main street towards the Obelisk

San Benito ready for departure in front of the San Juan Bautista temple.

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