Bendicion de vehiculos San Cristobal
Monasterio de San Cristobal de ValenciaSan Cristobal de Valencia
Imagen de San Cristobal Valencia
..CONTACT ......

Some years after the appearance of the image of St. Christopher, in 1399 a Confraternity devoted to the Saint emerges by the privilege of the King Martín the Human.

In times the of Patriarch San Juan of Ribera , the Confraternity was following existing and having papal pardon. However, it stayed added to that of Ntra. Mrs. of the Miracle, located in the neighbouring street of Trinquete de Caballeros . The movement of this to the Real Palace of Valencia, it provoked that the two both Confraternities were broke up, with the disappearance of that of St. Christopher. This probably occurred in the first years of the XVII century.

Later, the nuns of the Real Monastery got a brief of S.S. the Pope Inocencio X to found again the Confraternity. This document was dispatched in Rome, 30th July of 1646. Nevertheless, due to unknown causes, it was not put on execution this papa brief so it was written to Rome requesting this grace was confirmed. Finally, it was conceded by S.S. Pope Clement X, in the year 1673. At that moment the Archbishop of Valencia was Dº Luis de los Cameros.

During many years, the Confraternity continued in operation, in spite of the location changes of the Monastery, until obtaining its definitive space in Poeta Bodría street.

After the bracket produced by the civil war, the Confraternity reappeared with force, but integrated exclusively by women. In the fifties, the procession of St. Christopher travels the neighbourhood with its clavariesas of teja and mantilla. The old ground-floored houses and the corrals saw to pass the Saint.

   As the large floor blocks were emerging in the neighbourhood, the tradition was going decaying but it

Procesion de San Cristobal 1956 Valencia

never was lost. the cars were blessed at the door of the Monastery, almost in an intimate way and a small procession were shown every year until the crossing with Alboraya street.

On 10th July of 1993, a group of persons linked to the Monastery and the Neighbourhood, were joined in the parlour of the Convent and it is decided to start to work for the reappearance of the Confraternity and its celebration.

   This new Confraternity is integrated by men as well as by women unlike previous stages when it was only composed by men or by women.

Next year and with scarce economic resources but with a lot of illusion, it sounds in the streets a tabal and a dolçaina. shy tracas announce the exit of the Saint. In 1996 the list of clavarios was compose by a quarantine of persons. It is the first time that a mascletá is fired. Also an exhibition is accomplished in the foyer of the Convent, about the history of the Saint and its Monastery.

  But it is 1998 the year of the definitive takeoff. On the occasion of the celebration of the centennial of the movement of the Monastery to its current site, the Board of Clavarios agrees to request the visit of the travelling Image of Our Lady of the Friendless, Patron of Valencia.

Visita de la Virgen de los Desamparados al Bº Trinitat de Valencia del 16 al 18 de Junio de 1998
Visita de la Virgen de los Desamparados al Bº Trinitat de valencia del 16 al 18 de Junio de 1998

Even though it was in 1996 when was accomplished for the first time an extraordinary vehicles benediction, it is on 10th July of 1998 when acquires the social and religious relevancy that were intended to give. Ancient cars, firemen cars, police cars... participate of this celebraton after the solemn Mass.

  The year 2000 is a year of consolidation. The number of clavarios is about one hundred and it has been written some statute. They have been approved by the Archbishop of Valencia on 20th June of 2000   

The next important project of the is the restoration of the facade of the Church. The Confraternity has been saving for this purpose for years. In 2005 and 2006 it has been organized two Christmas concerts for this subject.

Preparando las palmeritas
Procesion de San Cristobal estandarte Cofradia Valencia
Procesión de San Cristobal 2005

PHOTOS VISIT OF THE VIRGIN DESAMPARADOS 1998

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CONFRATERNITY OF St. CHRISTOPHER OF VALENCIA
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CONFRATERNITY OF St. CHRISTOPHER OF VALENCIA