Zaragoza's Offering of Flowers: 994 Groups and Nearly 100,000 People Honour the Virgen del Pilar
Zaragoza's Offering of Flowers to the Virgen del Pilar filled the Plaza del Pilar on October 12, the centrepiece of the Fiestas del Pilar and one of Spain's most massive popular acts. The offering began at 6:30 in the morning and ran all day: 994 registered groups with a total of 99,980 participants marched in regional dress to lay flowers before the Virgin, joined by thousands of individual offerers and by groups from other Spanish regions and abroad.
This year's guest country is Venezuela, whose floral flag featured prominently as the Virgin's mantle of flowers took shape; the upper mantle was made this year of red carnations. The first group to offer was the Ayuntamiento de Almochuel, a small Aragonese town with a long tradition in the act.
The Offering is held every October 12, Spain's National Day, and is among the largest participatory events in the country, comparable in scale to Valencia's Fallas offering.
The Fiestas del Pilar continue in Zaragoza until October 18, with the offering as their emotional peak. (Source: Zaragoza City Council)
Source: Zaragoza City Council
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Zaragoza 向皮拉尔圣母献花（资料图）。Wikimedia Commons 开放授权。 / Photo: The Offering of Flowers to the Virgen del Pilar in Zaragoza (file photo). Wikimedia Commons, open license.
