On Saturday 18 November, the traditional Festival of the Rose Meeting was held in Pallerols de Rialb, organized by the Association of Friends of the Path of Pallerols de Rialb in Andorra.

The party began at 11.30 with the screening of the documentary about the adventure of Saint Josemaría on his way to escape to Andorra, due to religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39. The video highlights the difficulties and sufferings endured by the members of the group where Saint Josemaria was going and in particular describes the anguish that the saint experienced on the night of November 21 to 22, 1937 when faced with the doubt of whether he was or not doing God's will by continuing the escape route that had begun on October 8 in Madrid. The rose he found in the church, on the morning of the 22nd, filled him with peace and confirmed his decision to continue towards Andorra, surely he was doing God's will.

After the video there was a guided tour of the rectory and the church, and then - at 12:30 - the procession took place with the image of the Virgin Mary, while singing the Joys of the Rose of Pallerols.

Once at the church, the mass was celebrated in honor of the Mother of God presided over by Fr Xavier Pont, priest of Opus Dei, and concelebrated with Fr Pere Jesús Morales, rector of Ponts, and Fr Bonifaci Fortuny. In the homily, Fr Xavier highlighted Saint Josemaria's passage through Pallerols and how in those moments of anguish and inner desolation the Virgin Mary came to his aid, as she also comes to our aid whenever we invoke her with confidence.

We offered mass for the deceased in Pallerols and especially for the people related to the Camí d'Andorra who have died during this year 2023: Martí Bentanachs (Fenollet), Rosa Capell (Confós), Mn. Lluís Raventós (Raimat), Jaume Muntané (Andorra) and Paco Coll (Andorra).

The performance of the "Girona" Chamber Choir must be highlighted, with their songs they gave special relief to the celebration of the Eucharist and the Joys of Pallerols. Some of the components of Choir Girona that traveled to Pallerols are: Elarda, Vera, Annia and Hannibal, all of them directed by Antoni Amorós.

At the end of the Eucharist, we sang the Virolai and then we went to the cemetery to pray for the deceased in Pallerols.

Some of the attendees had lunch around Pallerols and others went to nearby villages and farmhouses.

At 4 in the afternoon there was the recitation of the Rosary and the veneration of the relics of Saint Josemaria.

As every year, it was an endearing party with the attendance of around 100 people: a good group from Andorra and different places in Catalonia. It is noteworthy the presence of Luis Jaureguízar and Glòria Gratacós who, like every year, came from Madrid and invited a large group of married couples from Barcelona with their children, with a total of more than 30 people.

As is traditional, the inhabitants of the Barony of Rialb could not be missing: the deputy mayor Dolors Caelles, the families of Ampurdanès, of Cal Solé and others.