Early in the afternoon, the most emotional event for the Valencian falleras will begin in Valencia: the Offering of Flowers to the Virgin of the Forsaken. A fundamental event of the Fallas of Valencia in which more than 100,000 falleras and thousands of falleros participate to form the mantle of flowers that will cover the image of the "Geperudeta" and that will begin at 3:30 p.m. and end tomorrow night .
The Offering respects the routes and accesses through which it runs each year, one along Calle de la Paz and another through Calle San Vicente, until reaching Plaza de la Virgen. In this enclave and in front of the large 'cadafal' that represents the image of the patron saint with the Child Jesus in her arms, the falleras of all the commissions integrated into the Central Fallera Board (JCF) of Valencia - those of this city and those of the nearby towns of Burjassot, Quart de Poblet, Xirivella and Mislata-- will deposit their bouquets. Along with the falleras, both older and children, the falleros, also older and younger, from each commission will parade.
Likewise, members of the festivals from other cities in the Valencian Community, such as Alicante and Castellón, and from other parts of Spain such as Burgos and Murcia, and from different regional houses will do so.
With the flowers that the representatives of all these celebrations place before the Virgen de los Desamparados, this year red and white carnations, the mantle that each year covers the 'cadafal' will be formed and with which a drawing is created, always secret until that is made. Baskets and flower centers will be added to the bouquets.
The first to parade in the offering of 2024, this Sunday, will be the commissions of the Canyamelar-Grau-Nazaret sectors on Calle de la Paz, followed by those of La Xerea, Rascanya, Camins al Grau, Russafa A, Russafa By and Pla del Reial Benimaclet, the latter at 10:00 p.m., as indicated in the official Fallas program published by the JCF.
San Vicente street will pass on this first day and in the following order, the falls of El Pilar-Sant Francesc, Patraix, La Seu-El Mercat, Botànic-La Petxina, Quart de Poblet-Xirivella, Jesús, Mislata and at 11:15 p.m. , The Covered Cross. After these commissions and for the same access, members of regional houses, local councils and the falla of Fallera Mayor Infantil de Valencia 2024, Marina García, will go before the patron. This is the Falla Manuel de Falla-Tamarindos commission.
Next, and shortly after midnight, representatives from delegations from Burgos, Murcia, Castellón and Alicante will arrive at the Plaza de la Virgen with their bouquets. Behind them, the last five Falleras Mayores Infantils of València will parade and around 1:00 a.m., the Fallera Mayor Infantil of 2024 and her court of honor accompanied by members of the JCF and the Municipal Band of València.
The Fallas events of this first day of offering to the Virgen de los Desamparados will culminate with a fireworks display in the area of the City of Arts and Sciences.
Next Monday, the second day of tribute to the 'Geperudeta', this event will start again at 3.30pm. From that time, the commissions of Algirós, Poblats del Sud, Quatre Carreres, Pla del Remei-Gran Via, Benimàmet-Burjassot-Beniferri and Malva-rrosa-Cabanyal-Beteró will pass through Calle de la Paz.
From Calle San Vicente, the commissions of Zaidía, El Carmen, Benicalap, Campanar, La Roqueta-Arrancapins and Olivereta will access Plaza de la Virgen, starting at the same time. After them, the regional houses, invited entities, and the Fallera Mayor of Valencia, María Estela Arlandis, will parade before the patroness. This is the Bishop Jaume Pérez-Lluís Oliag commission.
Subsequently, delegations from Burgos, Murcia, Castellón and Alicante will arrive at the cadafal of the Virgen de los Desamparados; the last five Falleras Mayores of València, and the Fallera Mayor de València together with her court of honor to close the offering. The latter will be accompanied by members of the JCF and the Valencia Municipal Band.
This year, members of the National Police Corps will also parade before the Virgen de los Desamparados, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of its creation.
The second day of offering and penultimate day of Las Fallas of 2024 will conclude with the 'Night of Fire', this time in charge of Caballer FX pyrotechnics
Rows of at least five people and the obligation to participate dressed in traditional Valencian clothing included in the Fallas regulations are some of the rules for the Fallas offering to the Virgen de los Desamparados.
The document that includes these regulations, approved in February by the plenary session of the JCF and the assembly of presidents, is practically identical to that of the previous year and its purpose is to establish the "common rules" that must be respected "by all the committees of falla, as well as organizations and entities" invited to participate in the offering.
This seeks to guarantee "uniformity in the parade of all those who participate in order to achieve, due to the complexity of its planning, a development of the event that is as lucid and organized as possible."
The JCF establishes that parades may only be carried out "at the official times and routes established and approved" by the entity and the assembly of presidents", in addition to respecting departure times "with complete punctuality".
