This significant gathering, which will include representatives from Argentina, the United States, Brazil, Chile, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Venezuela, will culminate on Sunday, April 19, with a pontifical Rocío mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires. This ceremony will commemorate the first anniversary of the passing of Pope Francis, which falls on April 21, 2025.
“"The first Continental Rocío Encounter in America is an opportunity to look together at the past, understanding the significance that the American epic had for El Rocío, and to project the present into the future. To recognize and stimulate all that reality that promotes devotion to the Virgen del Rocío in America. A new spiritual bridge between America and the Old Continent."
The event includes the congress El Rocío without Borders: Faith, Tradition, and Universal Heritage, where the Rocío in America Manifesto will be read, and an agreement will be signed to establish a network of Rocío associations across the continent. This effort is supported by the Andalusian Government's Ministry of Tourism and External Affairs, the Huelva Provincial Council, the Government of Argentina, and the Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
The Hermandad Matriz de El Rocío de Almonte is promoting this encounter as a fundamental step towards achieving the declaration of the Romería del Rocío as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The pilgrimage was already recognized as a Site of Cultural Interest by the Junta de Andalucía in 2023, and this initiative seeks to demonstrate its international relevance, beyond Europe, where a branch already exists in Brussels.
The existence of 32 active Rocío associations and entities in more than seven American countries for over 40 years, along with the creation of a continental network, are strong arguments that reinforce the universal vocation of this devotion. Originating in a small village in Huelva, the Rocío faith has managed to cross the ocean, maintaining its essence intact.
