THE BELLS OF SAN BARTOLOMÉ HAVE RETURNED TO XÀBIA

The four bells of San Bartolomé have returned to Xàbia after a long restoration process, welcomed back to the parish by a large crowd which watched them unloaded onto the church square in front of the town hall where they will remain over the weekend so that the public can get to know them before they are hoisted back into the bell tower on Monday.

Of the original four bells, three have been fully restored – Bertomeua, Sebastiana and Victoria – whilst the fourth, Mariana, was found to have had numerous defects in the bronze and the church parish opted to replace it with a new bell, which will be baptised with the name Perpetuo Socorro. The other three dates from the early 1940s.

Throughout this weekend, not only can the bells seen up close by resident but the parish has organised a series of events to celebrate their return, including music and tours of the bell tower, before all four bells will be blessed on Sunday morning by the Archbishop of Valencia, Enrique Benavent.

On Monday, they will be hoisted back into the bell tower.