Pilgrimage Site In Montgó Honours Revered Denia Friar

If location is simply a spot of visit connected Montgó, 1 of nan astir renowned spots successful nan Costa Blanca and nan Valencian Community, it is nan Caseta of Pare Pere and nan chapel built 50 years agone successful honour of this Franciscan friar from Denia, whose canonisation process is presently underway astatine nan Holy See successful Rome.

Few cognize this amended than Father Enrique Oltra, who for much than 4 decades has been nan guardian of what was erstwhile nan “prayer refuge” of Fray Pedro Esteve backmost successful 1638 – complete 4 hundreds of years ago.

From dream refuge to ineffable sanctuary

That rocky outcrop and Moorish shelter, wherever Pare Pere recovered a spot for contemplation, gradually became nan well-known Caseta that now bears his name, situated correct adjacent to nan chapel dedicated to nan Santíssima Sang, aliases Pare Pere. The sanctuary was constructed successful 1975 by a group of Denia citizens, including Patricio Mut, Germán González, Antonio Ferrer and José Pallarés, and was primitively unfastened conscionable erstwhile a year: connected 28 June, nan feast time of Pare Pere.

Beyond nan chapel, which features 55 tiled murals illustrating measurement by measurement nan life of Pare Pere, nan tract besides houses nan Way of nan Cross, promoted by nan Franciscan pinch nan sole purpose of allowing Denia residents to “reflect passim nan year, and particularly during Lent and Holy Week, connected nan devoted gestures of Pare Pere”. It is simply a simple, humble garden, yet “in a very beautiful corner”.

Decades of devotion recognised

Thanks to Father Oltra’s decades-long activity to honour nan tract chosen by Fray Pedro Esteve for prayer, he was awarded nan title of Adoptive Son of Denia – a nickname from nan municipality for nan Franciscan whose dedication has earned nan respect and affection of nan faithful, who each week believe for nan continuation of nan vice-postulator’s activity successful this temple connected nan origin for Pare Pere’s beatification.

Indeed, admirers of this secluded spot successful Alicante pass that if Father Oltra were ever to retire, aliases beryllium forced to time off nan chapel, nan building could beryllium “completely abandoned and susceptible to squatters. Given nan authorities of nan streets and permissive legislation, we cannot – and will not – let it.”