Like every December 13, Dénia celebrates the Fira i Porrat de Santa Lucía.
Party and porrat Santa Llúcia in Dénia, organized at first by neighbors of the game, no account currently has no festera Commission acting as such, being the home parish of Denia and a group of devotees in charge of the commemoration .
The day of onomastics, good morning, arrive porrateros riding their stops on both sides of the access road to the shrine, offering a variety of products, especially traditional dates, candies, syrup, sugar cane, etc.
Almost at the same time as the porrateros, begins the massive turnout of devotees who come from both Denia and peoples of the region and outside it, to worship the image of Santa Llúcia, making prayers, lighting candles and passing handkerchiefs who then use to clean your eyes and lenses. stamps and medals are also purchased with the image of the saint. At noon Mass dedicated to the lawyer of sight and end the joys sung to the saint is celebrated. Until recent years the religious ceremonies ended with a procession of the image for the access road, however currently this act is not done, there is the intention to recover. Those attending this event come equipped with enough food for the day, serving the movement to pass a picnic and buy goodies to be consumed at Christmas.
In the afternoon the chapel remains open so that those who could not attend religious services in the morning, can worship and make requests to the holy, while they can visit the porrat. With the start of the setting sun is terminated party until the following year.
Text extracted from the "Multidisciplinary Study of the Natural Park Montgó (Alicante) ”. AA.VV.
Montgo, between the towns of Denia and XàbiaIt is one of the areas with the highest density of medieval hermitages: the hermitage of Santa Llúcia (Dénia), Sant Antoni (Xàbia), which are few traces, and the Chapel of Popul (Xàbia), built in the fourteenth century, and Sant Joan (Dénia), probably founded in the fifteenth century. The hermitage of Sant Antoni (Xàbia), on the eastern slope of the Montgó, almost suspended on the cliff next to cap de Sant Antoni, built in the late fourteenth century, under the auspices of Sister Caterina Bas.
Hermitage santa Llúcia (Dénia), also located on the side Montgó has simple UNINAVE plant with only two compartments separated by a pointed arch on jambs bracket separation sections. The simplicity of its plant is not a criterion to believe in a higher age of the building.
Prior to the restoration step in an archaeological 2003-2004 intervention developed. It affected almost the entire interior of the ship, with an area of 60 square meters. It provided data of interest to systematize the evolution of the building. Thus, it has been known the nature of the foundation of the building, together with lime mortar masonry, and has identified its original pavement; clay and lime, with evidence of subsequent repairs. In the southwest corner, on the floor, it has found a home with imprints of use. It must be related to the activity and life of the hermit or person in charge of the custody of the hermitage in late Middle Ages. The found ceramic contexts propose the last quarter of the fourteenth century as the date of construction of the hermitage.
Future archaeological work abroad will clear doubts about the buttress reinforcing its structure on the north side and on the route of the canal from the Roman period that runs below the property.
Text: Josep A. Gisbert Santonja, published in "Annuaris Culturals. Monuments. 2008. "
Photographs: Josep. A. Gisbert Santonja
