Feast of the Virgen del Rosario, patron saint of Cádiz

Devotion to the Virgen del Rosario in Cádiz goes back to the brotherhood founded in the late 16th century by the city's Black slaves in the old Rosario chapel. When the Dominicans arrived, the brotherhood and its image moved in 1636 to their new convent of Santo Domingo. The people of Cádiz credited the Virgin with protecting them in the epidemics of 1681 and 1730 and in the tsunami that followed the 1755 Lisbon earthquake; nine days after that event the City Council named her patron and protector of the city, which the Holy See confirmed in 1867.

The old image was destroyed when the convent was set on fire in May 1931; only its hands and the Christ Child were saved. The image carried today was carved in 1943 by the Seville sculptor José Fernández-Andes, who incorporated those pieces. She was canonically crowned on 4 May 1947, became Perpetual Mayor of Cádiz in 1967 and holds the honours of a captain general granted by the Navy.

According to the City Council, the renewal of the city's vow has been held since 1730 and the floral offering since 1947.

The heart of the festival is the convent and church of Santo Domingo, the patron saint's sanctuary in the Santa María neighbourhood, where the novena, the opening speech, the vow ceremony and the offering take place. The evening procession leaves Santo Domingo along calle Plocia towards plaza de San Juan de Dios and goes through streets of the historic centre before returning via Sopranis and the Compás de Santo Domingo.

On the morning of the 7th the bishop presides over the service at Santo Domingo in which the city renews its vow to its patron saint, attended by the city councillors in formal procession. During the day the people of Cádiz, many in traditional dress, bring tuberoses to the Virgin in the floral offering. On the eve the opening speech is given and the brotherhoods pray the rosary and greet the Virgin.

In the evening the procession sets off, accompanied by the Brotherhoods Council, which also has her as its patron. People sing the hymns (gozos) written for her by Blessed Diego José de Cádiz. The City Council contributes the poster, the programme and the decoration of the streets near the convent.