The Board of Directors of the Confraria
When these lines come to light, the restoration of the litter of the carriage of St. George will have been completed.. Although its deterioration was possibly not appreciated from a distance, when you got closer you could see the passing of the years and a patent deterioration. The time had come for expert hands to perform the maintenance and restoration it needed.
This cleaning and restoration work of the anda has been carried out in the neighboring town of Ibi by some young expert restorers (with maternal ancestry from Banyeres). The delicate work has paid off and we hope you will like it..
However, this restoration was a second phase of something more urgent: the replacement of the tractor that moves and on which the litters that carry the image of our Patron Saint George in the April procession sit.
The condition of this tractor urgently demanded something more than simple maintenance. During the summer months of 2012 workshop work was carried out to replace the vehicle. The old tractor was replaced, a Barreiros with more than 50 years of antiguaty, for a practically new tractor, with little more than 1.000 work hours (that for a vehicle of this type is little more than to do the "break-in").
The lifting installation was cleaned up, fasteners were adjusted and installed, next to the electric motor that the float already had, Another hydraulic system that will allow from now on to stop depending on the electrical cable that ran from inside the church to the tractor and that makes the lifting system of the rails where San Jorge is housed an independent system, without cables or any element that could hinder the movement of people around the float during the maneuvering of raising and lowering the image of Saint George. However, the previous electrical system has been left as a reserve, having two systems in case one of them fails.
During the month of November, prior to the beginning of the restoration of the litters, The corresponding tests were carried out in the most conflictive section for the float during the procession, the descent from Calle Mayor at the confluence with Calle San Jaime and Felipe IV (the old town house). The result of the same was widely satisfactory.
We want to make public and patent, in the name not only of the Brotherhood of Sant Jordi, but of the entire town of Banyeres de Mariola, our sincere thanks to those who designed and built the first float of the year 1977, to those who devised and created the lifting mechanism in 1980 and those who endowed the carriage with such dignified and elegant litters in 1986. We also thank from these lines those people who in a very inconspicuous way have led the float of Saint George throughout all these years. Your expertise should be recognized and appreciated.
Different boards and people have contributed their grain of sand so that our party (united to our town Banyeres de Mariola and its Patron Saint George) be more and more beautiful and dignified. Go from here our thanks and congratulations to all of them.
On the other hand, It was observed that the Reliquary bearing the Relic of Saint George, arrival at Banyeres in 1780, contained some dirt and rust. It was decided to take the locket to the goldsmith Vicente David, From Valencia, for cleaning and restoration. "Goldsmith David" has done a large number of works, both for the parish and for this Confraria. Among others, restored the chalice donated by the descendants of D. Gregorio Molina and which has been used since last year in all the Masses organized by the Confraria; He was also the author of the reliquary that keeps the second Relic of Saint George that is at the foot of the altar of the Saint.
In another vein, For months we thought that it would be good for the Holy Relic to visit those who cannot go to the Parish Temple to be able to kiss and venerate it. We would have liked to do it for the homes of the sick and disabled, as was done in the celebration of the second centenary of the coming of the Relic in the year 1980, but we believed that something of such magnitude should be left for more special occasions. It was chosen to do it with the sick and disabled of the Municipal Geriatric Center, where it could be done more easily, concentrated and controlled.
We got in touch with the people who run the center and they were excited about the idea. The Sunday after the Feast of the Relic, coinciding with the celebration of the party to the head of our parish, the Virgin of Mercy, The Relic was moved from the Parish Temple to the Municipal Geriatric Center, A mass was celebrated there and later the sick and disabled were kissed there.. Needless to say, it has the emotion with which those people received us and above all they fired us, united to the emotion of all those present.
We are aware of the importance of the fact that the Holy Relic can reach the homes of the sick. From the Board of Directors we are working on several formulas that can make this possible and that, especially, make it sustainable over time.
Last year we commented on the devotion that Banyeres de Mariola has professed for Saint George through the ages. Our people cannot be understood without their lofty Patron. The festivities in his honor, both in the month of April and the first Sunday of September, They represent the great legacy that our ancestors have left us and that we must take care of, not only for them but for us and our children, they are our main hallmark.
That is why each 23 April we will continue to celebrate a great party in honor of our Patron Saint George. This means taking a break from our busy schedule, leave our job for a few days, occupations and party. It is necessary for people to "stop" from time to time, make a stop on the way, momentarily put your chores and worries aside and "party".
Our hymn to the party expresses with wise and correct words our way of doing it, not only now, but through all of our history.
“To our Patron Saint George
in Banyeres every year
we give him religious feasts
and of Moors and Christians… ”
“… Weaver leaves the loom,
farmer keeps the fork,
take off your party dress,
and to form in the row. ”
We have to take care, participate and pamper the party, our party in honor of Saint George. A party that has a clear meaning: Saint George and his martyrdom, with which he demonstrated his great faith and love for God, our Lord.
Let's all shout then, as we have always done:
VITOLUS TO PATRON SAINT GEORGE !
The Board of Directors of the Brotherhood of Sant Jordi
