This bright noon, València celebrated the civic procession of October 9 in a calm and celebratory atmosphere. The bearer of the Royal Senyera was Mayor María José Catalá, who minutes before starting the tour asked for “concord” and “respect in the streets.” “On a day like today the 'hymns of peace' go very far, that barbarism ends and that we Valencians become an example of democracy,” declared the first mayor.
Catalá was accompanied by councilors from the other three groups with municipal representation, Vox, Compromís and PSPV, wearing the Real Senyera, and the union has been such until the arrival at the doors of the Cathedral, where the representatives of the two municipal groups have decided do not enter the temple. When deviating from the path, from the Puerta de los Hierros to the Plaza de la Almoina, whistles were heard from the public.
Minutes before, both parties had justified their decision. Former mayor Joan Ribó, current spokesperson for Compromís in the City Council, explained that "we do not agree with the Te Deum within the procession because in Valencia there are 40% of people who are not believers, and there is another 3% who profess other religions". For this reason, Ribó added, "if you want to make a Te Deum, it should be made after the civic procession."
For her part, the socialist spokesperson, Sandra Gómez, lamented, "saddened", that this year the procession was "very marked" by the entry of the Procession into the Te Deum celebration. "When you wear the Senyera, you have to be aware that you are not representing any party or a part of the population, but rather the entire city and the Valencian Community."
In general, the shouts and insults have been anecdotal throughout the morning. When the municipal corporation passed through the central area of the Town Hall square, critical voices were also heard, also with the mayor, and even with the Army, when the representatives of the armed forces passed through Calle de las Barcas. Mere anecdotes.
And in general the procession has proceeded completely normally, amidst applause and in a festive atmosphere marked, as has become usual in these first days of October, by the high temperatures. The fan has been one more of the environment.
In the event the full Council participated, starting with its president, Carlos Mazón; the president of the Valencian Courts, Llanos Masó, the president of the Senate, Pedro Rollán; or the Government delegate, Pilar Bernabé, among others.
The event started inside the Crystal Hall around eleven thirty in the morning, when the municipal corporation, authorities and the Fallera Mayor of València accompanied by its Court of Honor awaited the arrival of the mayor. At noon, just when the clock was ticking, the Royal Senyera descended from the municipal balcony to the square, where the bearers began the walk through the main streets of the city amidst applause from Valencians.
The itinerary of the Senyera from the Town Hall and to the Cathedral has passed through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Barcas, Poeta Querol, Paz and Plaza de la Reina to access the temple through the Puerta de los Hierros. Once the Te Deum was over, the march changed its itinerary and left the Cathedral through the Puerta de l'Almoina to access Calle de les Avellanas, Mar, Comedias y Paz, from where it arrived at Plaza de Alfonso the Magnanimous.
Once at the Parterre, the floral offering was made before the equestrian statue of King Jaume I. And once the offering was over, the Civic Procession returned to the Town Hall through the streets of Pintor Sorolla and Barcas to finally hear the sound of the mascletà.
