By Andrew Atkinson

The Serenade to the Virgen del Pilar took place at the Parish Church with the participation of the people and Associations of the town who participated in the Novena, dedicated to the patron saint of Pilar de la Horadada.

On Sunday afternoon, two people from nineteen associations and clubs carried the traditional baskets to the main altar with people who offered flowers doing so under the coronavirus protocol by wearing a mask and keeping interpersonal distance.

A spokesperson said: “Thank you very much to all of you for your collaboration on these unusual days of our 2020 festivities.”

Mayor José María Pérez Sánchez, said he was “very proud of the behaviour of all the Pilareños and Pilareñas regarding the suspension of the festivities, and also grateful for the exemplary participation that all citizens made when they presented their flowers to the Virgin, in completing the exterior arch outside the Church”.

Some weeks ago the council announced that funding saved because of the curtailed Patron Saint Festivities will be used to help families, SMEs, micro-SMEs and the self-employed to get through Covid-19. So far, the budget that the Pilar de la Horadada City Council has provided for these grants exceeds one million euros.