The Montserrat Rack Railway offers two extra routes on the night of April 26 – 27 to facilitate the mobility of those attending the Vetlla de Santa Maria festivity.
It will operate during special night hours, making a extra uphill journey at 8:00 p.m. and a downhill journey at 12:30 a.m.
On the occasion of the Vetlla de Santa Maria, next wednesday, April 26, the Basilica of Montserrat will host, as usual, a special mass. It is a very special event for the faithful, since it is celebrated the day before the festivity of the Virgin of Montserrat.
For this reason and to facilitate the access of the attendees, there will be a special night service of the Montserrat Rack Railway, both outward and return. The special time for going up to the Basilica of Montserrat will be at 8:00 p.m. and the special time for going down, at 12:30 a.m. Rack railway tickets can be purchased at the online store and also at the Monistrol – Vila station, from where this special Rack Railway circulation departs.
What does the Vetlla de Santa Maria consist of?
This mass is of paramount importance because it is celebrated the day before the Virgin of Montserrat. It is characterized by having a more developed “Liturgy of the Word“, since it is made up of three psalms and various readings.
The moment of the Offertory is very special. The abbot is in charge of receiving the offering of the symbolic oil from the lamps that burn throughout the year in the Basilica, representing all the regions of Catalonia, as well as the institutions and social movements that have offered them since 1947, the year where begun the celebrations of the enthronement. And it was back then that the centuries-old tradition of “watching Santa Maria” was resumed.
On the night of April 26 of that year, many devotees and pilgrims came to the Basilica of Montserrat to venerate the Holy Image, before it was definitively placed on its throne. The following day, the 27th, the solemn celebration of the Eucharist took place, in which an offering was made to the Virgin of a new throne.
Since then, the Vetlla de Santa Maria has been held uninterruptedly until today.
