A day to go to the Virgin of Pallerols

Saturday, November 24, the traditional Rose Encounter took place in Pallerols (Baronia de Rialb), a feast that commemorates the fact that St. Josemaría found a golden wooden rose in the church of Pallerols, eighty-one years ago now, when he was on his way to Andorra crossing the Pyrenees during the religious persecution of the Civil War. A discovery that gave him back his inner peace.

Once again this year a good group of faithful gathered, summoned by the “Friends of the Way from Pallerols de Rialb to Andorra”. A feast that begins with the procession around the church carrying the image of the Virgin of the Rosary, who holds in her hand a reliable copy of the wooden rose found by the saint in Pallerols. A procession that is accompanied by the singing of the Gozos a la Virgen del Rosario, who in one of the stanzas explains the favour worked in Pallerols, and says so:

“Si pertot recança es posa

una nit de fosca i dol,

a Pallerols una rosa

el neguit mudà en consol.

La Verge en aquest afer

vegé sant Josepmaria:

la Senyora li oferia

una rosa del Roser.”

“If everywhere else is put

a night of dark and mourning,

To Pallerols a rose

the uneasiness moved in comfort.

The Virgin in this matter

see St. Josemaría:

The Lady offered him

a rose from the Roser. “

Then, in the parish church of Sant Esteve de Pallerols, the celebration of the Mass took place, which was presided over by Mn. Carlos Palos of the Prelature of Opus Dei, with whom the Rectors Mn. Bonifaci Fortuny and Mn. Jaume Mayoral. Mr. Antoni Reig, Mayor of Baronia de Rialb, and the Minister of Culture, Mrs. María Dolors Caelles, were also present.

In the homily, Mn. Carlos reviewed the days that St. Josemaría spent in Barcelona, Pallerols and Alt Urgell, from October 10 to December 2, 1937, glossing over the most relevant events that occurred on his way to Andorra, accompanied by seven people who went spiritually with him.

In the memoir of the deceased there was a special memory for Ignasi Forcada, who died on March 22 of this year.

After the Mass, and following the custom, a prayer took place in front of the small cemetery of Pallerols, to remember the deceased and to entrust them in the prayer of all the assistants. Mn. Bonifaci directed this moment of remembrance of all the deceased.

There followed a small aperitif for all those present, followed by a popular meal around Pallerols on a sunny day that helped to share this festive moment among those who continued the feast in the area.

The celebration ended at 4 p.m. with the recitation of the Rosary and the veneration of a relic of St. Josemaría.