Guild of Christ «El Morenet» of the Men of the Sea

At its centre is an anchor, from whose shank and stock emerges a cross. The anchor is placed inside a lifebuoy surrounded by ropes, bearing the name by which the guild's principal image is popularly known: “El Morenet”.

The design is flanked by two oars and topped with a Crown of Thorns, a symbol of Christ's Passion. Most of the elements in this coat of arms refer to the historical connection between the Guild and the fishermen who once lived in Alicante's popular Raval Roig neighbourhood.

The Guild was founded in 1997 by residents of Alicante's Raval Roig neighbourhood, although its origins can be traced back to the old fishermen's guilds of the 18th century, specifically the Guild of Saint James and Saint Andrew. It emerged at the Chapel of Our Lady of Succour, whose origins date back to the Knights Templar, who built it.

The principal image is a sculpture of the Crucified Christ which, because of its dark complexion, has always been popularly known as “El Morenet” (“The Little Dark One”).

It is a sculpture believed to date from the late Gothic period, towards which the sailors who lived in this area felt a particular devotion. The image is currently being examined by specialists to establish its age and provenance.

On 10 March 1996, at the initiative of Raval Roig residents and with the support of the parish priest of Saint Mary, the parish to which the Chapel of Our Lady of Succour belongs, Christ “El Morenet” was carried in procession back to his home: the new chapel built in the neighbourhood. The procession set out from the Church of Saint Mary, where the image had been kept since the original building was demolished in 1973. Our Lady of Succour, patron saint of the neighbourhood, also took part in the procession.

This transfer laid the foundations for the establishment of a Holy Week guild in the neighbourhood around the image. The Guild was officially constituted on 26 November 1996.

Although its statutes were legally registered on 26 August 1997, the Guild took part as such in the Holy Monday processions on 24 March 1997.

The history of this neighbourhood and the devotions that originated there are well worth exploring. These include the arrival of Our Lady of Lluch from Mallorca, her subsequent replacement by the devotion to Our Lady of Succour (Mare de Déu del Socors), the presence of the Templars and the Augustinians, and the foundation of the Fishermen's Guild of Saint Peter and Saint James. All of this helps us understand its inhabitants and the importance the neighbourhood played in the early history of Alicante.

Musical contributions to Alicante Holy Week

• El Cristo Morenet · Bernabé Sanchís Sanz. Dedicated to the Guild of the same name. Processional march premiered on 12 March 1999. Recorded on the CD “Nuestra Música” in 2000.
• Plegaria al Cristo El Morenet · Bernabé Sanchís Sanz. Lyrics by Rafael Vizcaíno. Date handwritten on the score: 2005. Canonical seat: Chapel of Our Lady of Succour, Raval Roig.