Benalmádena welcomes arrival of La Chiquita from her cave under the sea

The Virgen del Carmen church opened its doors to the public on Sunday to celebrate the arrival of La Chiquita, a small image of the Virgen del Carmen who lives practically all year round at a depth of nine metres in a cave in Laja Bermeja, on the seabed of Benalmádena marina. Every year, on the Sunday before the celebration of the Virgen del Carmen (16 July), members of the Benalmádena divers’ association enter the cave, take the Virgin out and transfer her to land. She only spends a few days here, between Capitanía and the parish church of the Virgen del Carmen.

This traditional event precedes the start of the Veladilla del Carmen festivities. The ceremonial meeting of the two Virgins, which was attended by the town’s mayor, Juan Antonio Lara, and vice president of the provincial authority, María Francisca Caracuel, began with the singing of the hymn Salve Marinera, performed the local choral group Rompeolas and the members of the association of the faithful of the Virgen del Carmen and the divers’ club.

The mayor pointed out that this encounter between the Virgen del Carmen and La Chiquita is not only an expression of faith, but also a powerful symbol of cultural identity and connection to the sea for the people of Benalmádena.

“Today is a day of deep emotion and pride for Benalmádena. I would especially like to thank the association of the faithful and the association of divers for their tireless work throughout the year to ensure this festivity continues to grow, preserving its essence while adapting to the present. Without your dedication, none of this would be possible,” Lara said during his speech.

For her part, Caracuel - who was presented with a medal by the association of the faithful – said that being recognised as a festival of tourist singularity “is not merely an administrative process, nor just another distinction; it is a profound gesture of respect and admiration for a tradition that comes from the people, from the sea, from faith and from your collective identity”.

“We have fought, and we will continue to fight, to highlight the value of this tradition. The Virgen del Carmen was named protector of the seas of Benalmádena, and this is why we also named the seafront promenade after her. This is not just a religious celebration, but also a cultural and tourist heritage that is part of the soul of Benalmádena,” the mayor concluded.

This Wednesday marks the main day of the celebration. A mass will be held at 6pm followed by the procession. At its conclusion, the encounter between the two iconic images will take place in the Benalmádena marina, when La Chiquita returns to her cave. Before submerging, the encounter with the titular image takes place in the sea, an event declared a festival of tourist singularity by the provincial authority (Diputación de Málaga) last month.