romerías

Romerías are religious pilgrimages to a shrine or sanctuary, usually organized around the feast day of a patron saint or a Marian image. The term is linked to the figure of the romero, the pilgrim who travels to a sacred site, often crossing rural or regional landscapes as part of a devotional itinerary.

Practices during romerías typically combine travel, worship, and celebration. Participants may walk, ride horses, or travel in decorated carts or carriages, and the journey is punctuated by prayers, hymns, and occasional stops for devotional acts. Followers often wear traditional garments, and the route may include temporary chapels, offerings, and hospitality along the way. The destination is usually a sanctuary, church, or sanctuary associated with the saint or image being venerated.

Romerías are especially characteristic of Spain and Portugal, with numerous regional variants, and they have a presence in several Latin American countries due to historical Catholic influence. They serve religious, cultural, and community functions, reinforcing local identity, rural heritage, and social solidarity through shared meals, music, and lodging arrangements. Some romerías culminate in large public festivals or fairs, transforming the religious event into a broader cultural gathering, while others remain more focused on devotion and processional ritual.

The practice has evolved in the modern era but generally preserves the core elements of pilgrimage, procession, and communal festivity. While Santa de devotions, routes, and customs vary by locale, romerías remain a distinctive form of popular Catholic expression in many regions.