Hermitage of the Holy Cross

The Hermitage of the Holy Cross
is located in Mahoya.
Mahoya is a nearby village
to Abanilla.

The hermitage was built
where the peasants in the legend
found the Holy Cross.
This place is near
a river called Chícamo.
Inside the hermitage,
there are very large paintings.
The paintings explain the encounter
between the farmers and the Holy Cross
according to the legend.

The people of Abanilla
come to this place to
celebrate the festivals of the Holy Cross
on May 3rd and September 14th.

On May 3rd, the pilgrimage
starts in Abanilla and ends
at the Hermitage of the Holy Cross.
Here, the people of the town
place the cross under a large mechanical grenade.
The grenade opens and drops water
and white doves onto the cross.
In this way, the cross is blessed.
Afterward, this water is also used
to bless the neighbors.

The people of Abanilla celebrate
the blessing with a lunch.
The lunch includes:

Potato omelette.
Rabbit with tomato.
Hard-boiled eggs.
Sweet buns with chocolate

After lunch, the neighbors
return to Abanilla with the Holy Cross
and return it to the Church of Saint Joshep.
Thus ends the route known as
the “May 3rd Path”.

On September 14th, the day
of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated.
On that day, the neighbors celebrate
a pilgrimage with the Holy Cross
to Mahoya.
Once in Mahoya, the neighbors celebrate
the feast of the patron saint.
According to tradition, the Holy Cross
spends a few days in Mahoya.
Then, it returns
to the Church of Saint Joshep.