#les useres

It is unknown why exactly this tradition started, but it seems to have started in the 14th century, most likely in the event of a catastrophe such as a drought.

Since then, every year on the last Friday of April, 13 chosen inhabitants of the town of Les Useres (Castelló, Valencian Country) go on a 35km-long pilgrimage crossing forests going up more than 1,000 m up the Penyagolosa mountain to reach the Sant Joan chapel (1893 metres above sea level). This is done to ask for health, peace, and rain from the sky (in Latin: da nobis salutem et pacem, et pluviam de caeli). And then they walk back to the town.

The 13 men are 1 guide and 12 pilgrims, who will walk and chant during the pilgrimage. They are a parallel to Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles in the Via Crucis (Christ's path carrying the cross to be crucified, a walk that is very spiritually significant in Christianity and replicated in many Christian rituals). They are followed by 25 people and animals who carry the food and tools the pilgrims will need, as well as other townspeople who want to, who march in silence together.

All the clothing, route, food, everything is planned and done following the detailed tradition, starting at 3:30 am.