Immaculate Conception: 125 years watching over the Spanish Infantry

JEME reviews the formation at the Infantry Academy (Photo:J. De los Reyes Martínez/DECET)

Formation of the Section of Tercios of Flandes (Photo:J. De los Reyes Martínez/DECET)

Presentation of His Majesty the King's bust (Photo:J. De los Reyes Martínez/DECET)

Apart from the traditional military parade, that this year was headed by the Chief of General Staff of the Spanish Army, General Francisco J. Varela Salas, a painting of the Patron Saint entitled "Madre de los Infantes", a work defrayed with the voluntary economic collaboration of all the infantry men belonging to the different units of the Spanish Army, and made by the painter Ricardo Sanz, and the discovery of a bust of His Majesty the King Philip VI, work of the sculptor Salvador Amaya, which has been donated by Caja Rural Castilla-La Mancha to this academic military center, were presented.

On the other hand, on the occasion of the celebration of the 450th anniversary of "Camino Español", in the Force in formation it was included a section with the uniforms of the time of soldiers belonging to the Infantry of Tercios of Flandes.

The Minister of Defense in Barcelona and the JEMAD in Paracuellos del Jarama

For her part, the Minister of Defense, María Dolores de Cospedal, attented to the base "El Bruch", in Barcelona, where she was welcome by the Chief of the General Inspection of the Spanish Army, Lieutenant General Fernando Aznar Ladrón de Guevara, and by the Chief of the 62nd Infantry Regiment "Arapiles", Colonel Javier Mur, in order to celebrate this special day with the infantry men stationed there. Addressing to them, he reminded the "importance of knowing our bequeath in order to be aware about why we fight and for what reason we daily work", reminding of the tight historical relationship that Cataluña has with the Immaculate festivity, as well as with the Infantry and in general with the militia. Likewise, at the base "Príncipe" in Paracuellos de Jarama (Madrid), the Chief of General Staff of the Spanish Defense (JEMAD in Spanish), General Fernando Alejandre Matínez, chaired the celebration of the Infantry's Patron Saint with the paratroopers of the 6th Brigade "Almogávares", unit to which he was stated as Lieutenant, Captain and Major.

Other events

The event celebrated at the Staff of the Spanish Army, in Madrid, was attended by the 2nd JEME, General Lieutenant Miguel Martín Bernardi. At the Staff of the Land Force, in Seville, General Carlos Palacios Zaforteza, Chief of General Staff of the Land Force, also chaired a military act paying tribute to the Immaculate Conception, Patron Saint of the Infantry, of the Juridical Military Corp and of the Army Chaplains. By his part, the 4th Subinspection of the Army conducted the same event at the Royal Palace of Valladolid under the presence of its Chief and Military Major of Valladolidad and Palencia, General José Rivas Moriana. Similar acts took place in other bases and military establishments from all over Spain.