LA VIRGEN DE LOS DESAMPARADOS The second Sunday in May sees the festival of Our Lady of the Forsaken, another patron saint of the city. The Valencian people feel great devotion to this virgin, who they affectionately call La Geperudeta, an allusion to the slightly stooped position of her iconic image. The statue that is used in the festival today was made in 1945 by Carmelo Vicent, and is popularly known as La Peregrina (the Pilgrim). On the eve of the festival there is a concert in the Plaza de la Virgen with the Valencia Municipal Band, followed by a firework display in the Turia riverbed park, La danca, based on traditional folkloric dances and La nit d`Albeas with typical folk songs from the region. At around 5am, La Misa Descuberta an open-air mass is held. At 8am, there is a children`s mass Misa de Infantes and at 10.30 El Traslado (the transfer), in which La Peregina is carried by her followers to the basilica of the Cathedral through La Puerta de los Hierros (the iron doors). At 2pm, there is a mascleta, and in the afternoon there is a procession in which the virgin is brought out into the old town and thousands of petals are scattered in the streets. In the Plaza de la Reina, a traditional marketplace, L`escuraeta is set up, specialising in ceramic and clay craft products.
