A religious procession in downtown Barcelona marked the end of a nine-day prayer for relief from a severe drought. Approximately 100 local residents participated in the Catholic ceremony on a rainy Saturday evening. The procession featured the figure of the Holy Christ of the Blood, winding its way through the city's old town for two hours, led by Archbishop Joan Josep Omella.
Archbishop Omella expressed gratitude for the rain, stating, 'There are few of us, but it's OK,' inside the Santa Maria del Pi, a 15th-century Gothic church, just before the procession began. The rain poured down as the procession made its way through the streets.
Last month, officials in Catalonia, particularly Barcelona, declared a drought emergency as reservoirs serving 6 million people reached less than 16% of their capacity, a historic low that raised concerns among locals. The last time the figure of the Holy Christ was taken from the chapel of Sant Miquel to help combat drought was in 1945.
During the procession, the figure of the Holy Christ, depicting Jesus on the cross, was covered in transparent plastic at one point to shield it from the rain. The event symbolized the community's faith and hope for relief from the drought that has gripped the region.
